ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. – The Bard College men's volleyball team were met by a red-hot Potsdam team that had won seven straight games and won their eighth game at Stevenson Athletic Center on Friday night.

Pearse Esposito had 23 assists, seven digs, and four kills on a team-high .300 hitting percentage, marking the 10th match this season that he has reached the 20-assist mark. Quinn Lewis had nine digs, and his average of 3.0 per set was a season-high. Ansel Waisler was the lone Bard attacker in double-digits with 12 kills. He had eight digs and three assists on the night. Sidney Stein and Lincoln Grisso followed him in the kill department, with nine and eight, respectively. Grisso also contributed eight digs and two blocks.

Potsdam won the first set after an 11-3 run early in the set proved too difficult to overcome. The Raptors tried to claw their way back with a 6-2 run, and they got to within two at 17-19, but couldn't come back. The Bears had a 12-10 advantage in kills in the opener, but the Raptors found success at the service line with a 3-0 edge in aces.

The second set featured six ties and four lead changes. Bard established a 6-3 lead out of the break, but it was met by a 4-0 run to give the Bears the lead. It was neck-and-neck for the majority of the set, but at 17-15 with the Bears up, went on a 4-0 run to gain breathing room. Waisler had five kills in the frame, and Lewis led the Raptors with four digs, but the Bears broke through to take the second set.

The offensive talent from both teams was on display in the third set, with the Raptors hitting 14 kills and the Bears reaching 20. Stein and Grisso each had four kills in the set, but it wasn't enough. A 5-0 run for the Bears to start the set was critical, as they led the whole way. The Raptors did fight back from 5-10 down to 8-10 in the middle of the set, and they had a late push down by six at 16-22, winning four of the next five points. Ultimately, the Bears won the match following a pair of kills. 

Bard has a quick turnaround, facing SUNY Poly for their Neon Out match tomorrow at 4 p.m. and will close out conference play and wait to find their seeding for the NEVC playoff, which will be the first time in the program's history since joining in 2023.