NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – The Monroe College – Bronx men's volleyball team dropped another competitive match, this time to Borough of Manhattan Community College by a score of 3-1 at the Monroe Athletic Complex, on Saturday afternoon. Set scores were 25-21, 25-17, 22-25, and 25-18.
 
Leading the way for the Express (1-19, 1-6 Region 15) was freshman middle blocker Jeremy Rivera-Aponte who slammed home eight kills. Classmate Juan Arias tallied four put-downs and 12 digs. Freshman middle blocker Marvin Culmer executed four successful attacks of his own. Rookie middle blocker Mickey Mingo added three kills and just as many digs. First-year libero Harold Romero provided five digs. Freshman setter Wiltor Cubas tallied 19 assists, four digs, and a pair of service aces.
 
Monroe got off to a good start in the opening set, jumping out to a 9-4 lead. BMCC (3-6, 3-3 Region 15) chipped away by going on a 6-2 run to pull to within one. Culmer gave the Express more breathing room by slamming home a kill to extend his team's lead to 12-10. After the Panthers tied it up at 12, Monroe went on a 4-1 run, highlighted by a service ace from Cubas and a put-down by Arias, to give the home team a 16-13 benefit. BMCC scored the next two points to pull to within one. Later, the Panthers tied it up at 19. Monroe regained the lead by one, but then the Panthers finished the opening set on a 6-1 run to claim the opening game, 25-21.
 
Monroe got off to another good start in the second set, as a kill by Arias sparked the Express to a 5-1 advantage. The Panthers countered with a 7-2 run to jump out to an 8-7 vantage. Culmer knocked down a kill to allow the Express to tie it up at eight. Borough of Manhattan snatched the momentum by going on a 12-4 run to take a commanding 20-12 hold. The Panthers went on to win the second set, 25-14, and put the Express in a 2-0 hole in the match.
 
In the third set, the Express trailed 9-7 but then scored four straight points, capped off by a kill from Rivera-Aponte, to take a two-point lead. Later in the game, it was tied up at 16 points apiece. Monroe – Bronx then scored four straight points, highlighted by two kills from Rivera-Aponte and a successful attack by Arias, to go up 20-16. BMCC went on a 5-2 run to pull to within one, at 22-21. However, a kill by Mingo sparked the Express to finish the set on a 3-1 run to win the stanza, 25-22, and pull to within 2-1 in the match.
 
A kill each by Mingo, Rivera-Aponte, and by Culmer propelled Monroe to an 11-7 advantage in the fourth set. However, BMCC answered with a 9-2 rally to jump out in front for good, 16-13. The Express could not generate a consistent run to get back into the game and the Panthers went on to win the fourth set, 25-18, to clinch the match, 3-1.
 
For the Express, freshman middle blocker Shain Frazier tallied a kill, two blocks, an assist, and a dig, Rookie outside hitter Anthony Estevez chipped in on defense with three digs of his own. 

For BMCC, freshman outside hitter Chong Lin Chi had a double-double with 15 kills and 12 digs, while scoring three service aces. Rookie outside hitter Edwin Martinez provided 11 kills, three digs, a trio of assists, and a pair of service aces. First-year setter Hugo Paz generated 22 assists, three digs, and a service ace. Freshman libero Eugene Villarruz anchored the defense with 10 digs. 
 
Monroe – Bronx will close out the regular season with a Region 15 matchup against Monroe College – New Rochelle, at the Monroe Athletic Complex, on Wednesday evening. First serve is at 7:00 p.m. The Mustangs will be the official home team in the contest. 

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).