Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
BRONX, N.Y. – The Lehman College men's volleyball team earned a split in the doubleheader, on Tuesday evening, in the APEX Main Gym. The Lightning swept the City College of New York in straight sets, but fell to New Jersey City University in the following match, 3-2.

In Lehman's CUNY Athletic Conference win over City College, senior Miguel Gallardo (Bronx, N.Y./Salesian) led the way by earning a triple-double. He slammed home 12 kills, produced as many assists, and recorded 11 digs.

The first set was a marathon, as the Lightning had four set-point opportunities, while CCNY put Lehman on the brink three times. With Lehman trailing 27-26, Gallardo and junior Jaleel Lino (Punta Gorda, Belize/Toledo Community College) combined for back-to-back kills to help Lehman jump out to a 28-27 lead. With the set tied at 29, Lino slammed home a kill to put Lehman at set-point, for the fourth time in the match. This time, Lehman was able to win the frame, thanks to an error from the Beavers.

The second set was also tight throughout, as both teams were tied at 25. From that point on, Lehman went on a successful attacking spree, as Lino and senior Ahmad Abugharbieh (Amman, Jordan/Ittihad) combined for three consecutive kills to win the set for the home team.

In the third set, the Lightning had a narrow 13-12 lead, but scored four unanswered points, capped off by back-to-back kills from Lino and Gallardo, to give Lehman more of a cushion. With Lehman up 24-20, freshman Emmanuel Ortiz (Bronx, N.Y./Alfred E. Smith) slammed home a kill to clinch the set, and give Lehman its fifth conference win of the season.

Lino produced 16 kills and had eight digs. Freshman Carlos Segura (Bronx, N.Y./Marble Hill) added 11 digs, while freshman Henry Nunez (Bronx, N.Y./Walton) tallied seven.

Lehman suffered a hard-fought five-set loss to New Jersey City University, in the second end of the doubleheader. This time, Gallardo just missed a triple-double, as he produced nine kills, 12 assists, and had a match-high 16 digs. Lino led the offense with 18 kills, on 49 total attacks, and had nine digs on the defensive end. Nunez added eight digs of his own.

The Lightning claimed the first set 25-18, but the Gothic Knights countered to win the second, 25-17. In the third set, Gallardo tallied two kills early to give Lehman a 5-1 lead. After NJCU pulled to within one, at 7-6, Lehman would take the momentum back by scoring 10 of the next 14 points, highlighted by three kills from Gallardo and two from Lino, to take a commanding 17-10 lead. The Lightning went on to win the stanza, 25-16, putting the Gothic Knights on the brink.

In the fourth set, the visiting team responded by scoring nine of the first 11 points, and never looked back, as NJCU won 25-13, to even the match at two. In the fifth and deciding set, the Gothic Knights picked up right where they left off, by scoring eight of the first 10 points. They went on to win the set, 15-8, and completed the comeback, by winning the match, 3-2.

The Lightning will return to the APEX Main Gym on Thursday, for a non-conference match against Purchase College, at 7:00 p.m.