After starting the season 2-9, Baruch College men’s volleyball, 6-9, 4-0 CUNYAC, has turned its season around: the Bearcats now lead the CUNY Athletic Conference Standings.

Baruch started its play in January, ending with a 1-4 record. The team’s losing streak continued through February.

However, since their second win against Purchase in their second home game, the Bearcats  have gone on a five-game win streak and undefeated in March.

Baruch never trailed and swept Purchase.

In their next match up against Brooklyn College, the opposing team put up a fight but, Baruch won in a sweep (25-16, 25-20 and 25-13).  The game was neck-and-neck in the first until Baruch ran away with a nine-point win. The second set was even closer as the Bearcats won by five points, but they were dominant in the third and won by a 12-point margin.

They continued their winning streak at City College 25-9, 26-24 and 25-17, winning the first set by 16 points. The second set went to a deuce and Baruch managed to eke out a win after a kill by Akil Vaughn and an attack by City. They won the third set by eight points.

John Jay held up well against Baruch in the first set. However, Baruch managed to sweep the game 25-18, 25-17 and 25-16. Jack Centeno put up 13 kills and Stallone Shankar posted 29 assists.

Although the game against Hunter led to another win, 25-22, 17-25, 25-20 and 25-23,  each set went down to the wire. In a battle of the early-season undefeated teams, the tension between the two could be felt throughout the gym and lust for a win was extremely high for both teams.

After Andrew Ubanwa fell on his ankle in the first set, the team gained a sense of spirit and rallied to a three point win. In the second set, Baruch started off poorly and Hunter carried the momentum throughout this set for an eight point win. In the third set, they started weak but key blocks secured the win by five points.

In the final set, Hunter came out strong taking the first three points. However, Baruch managed to come back after trading points to tie the score at 23. In the end, Baruch took the win at home with a rollover and a spike to win by 2 points.

Baruch will face Lehman College on March 15 and York College away, where it will try to carry its momentum and continue its winning streak.

Shankar was selected CUNYAC Player of the Week after amassing 82 assists, 17 digs and nine total blocks during the Bearcats’ undefeated conference stretch.