CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. - The Monroe College – Bronx men's volleyball team competed in four matches at the Finger Lakes Community College Invitational this past weekend. The Express won the opening set over Brockport College but fell in the match 3-1. The Express lost in straight sets to Rochester Institute of Technology, the host and defending National Champion Finger Lakes Community College, and Union College.
 
In the first match on Saturday against RIT, set scores were 25-18, 25-8, and 25-16. Freshman middle blocker Jeremy Rivera-Aponte led the way for the Express by slamming home seven kills, adding five digs, and scoring a pair of service aces. Rookie defensive specialist Harold Romero anchored the defense with eight digs, while adding two kills. Freshman outside hitter Juan Arias tallied three kills and seven digs. Rookie middle blocker Marvin Culmer produced five successful attacks, while first-year outside hitter Anthony Estevez recorded six digs. Freshman setter Wiltor Cubas generated 12 assists and three digs.
 
In the second contest on Saturday against the Lakers, set scores were 25-9, 25-18, and 25-17. Rivera-Aponte led the attack with five kills and had a solid match defensively with three blocks and a pair of digs. Cubas provided six assists and three digs. Estevez notched six digs of his own, while Arias tallied three kills and two digs. Culmer scored two kills. Romero recorded two kills and three digs.
 
In Sunday's opening match against Brockport, set scores were 18-25, 25-21, 25-14, and 25-22. Rivera-Aponte had a big match with nine kills, six blocks, four digs, and two service aces. Arias had eight kills and just as many digs. Romero generated five kills, six digs, and a pair of aces. Cubs produced 22 assists, four service aces, three digs, and two blocks. Estevez anchored the defense with nine digs and added two kills on the offensive end. Culmer provided eight digs and a duo of kills.
 
In the final match of the invitational against Union on Sunday, set scores were 25-19, 25-9, and 28-26. Rivera-Aponte once again had nine kills. He also tallied five digs, two blocks, three service aces, and two assists. Romero produced five kills and two digs, while Arias generated three kills and seven digs. Cubas recorded 17 assists, five digs, two blocks, and a service ace. Culmer chipped in with a kill, a service ace, and a block. Estevez scored a kill, provided an assist, tallied a block, and picked up two digs.
 
Monroe – Bronx will open Region 15 play on Thursday at Borough of Manhattan Community College. First serve at BMCC Gymnasium is set for 6:00 p.m.

ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 31 teams competing across nine sports. There are 21 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, the Monroe College marching band, and the newly added esports and men's volleyball programs, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has seven teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
 
For more information about the Monroe Express, please visit us at www.MonroeExpress.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe Express), Twitter/X (@MonroeExpress), Instagram (@MonroeExpress), and Threads (@MonroeExpress).