UTICA, N.Y. – The Nichols men's volleyball team opened its 2023 season by splitting the opening day of action at the SUNY Poly Invitational on Friday afternoon at the Center Campus Gymnasium.
 
The Bison dropped the first match of the season to No. 8 Juniata by the scores of 25-18, 23-25, 14-25, 16-25 before taking a win over Misericordia, 25-15, 23-25, 25-16, 25-23, to post a 1-1 record.
 
Today's action marked the first time in the team's program history of facing a nationally-ranked opponent in the first matchup of the season, as well as the team's first time attending the Invitational.
 
Nichols will return to the Campus Center Gymnasium on Saturday, January 21 for a pair of non-conference matchups against Nazareth (1 p.m.) and No. 11 St. John Fisher (5 p.m.)
 
No. 8 Juniata 3, Nichols 1
 
Nichols was unable to subdue the potent offense of the No. 8 nationally-ranked Juniata squad who soared past the Bison, earning a 3-1 victory to spoil the season-opener.

Nichols took the first set 25-18 thanks in part to three kills from graduate right side Luis Martinez, who made his Nichols debut in the setback. The Bison held the Eagles close in the second set, however, a Maxwell Barr kill for Juniata at set point evened the match up at 1-1. From there, the Eagles took control of the final two sets, holding Nichols to just 30 points over the final two sets.

Martinez and sophomore middle Tanner Soracco led the offensive attack with eight and seven kills, respectively, Soracco hitting at a .333 clip.
 
 
Nichols 3, Misericordia 1
 
Nichols returned to the Campus Center Gymnasium for its nightcap matchup with Misericordia, earning a four-set victory on the backs of Luis Martinez and graduate outside hitter Carlos Mercado.
 
Mercado set the tone in the first set with four kills, while Urbanski assisted on nine total kills for the Bison as they took the game 25-15. Martinez would match the four kills in the second set, but the Bison would be narrowly defeated, 23-25, as an Anthony DePalma kill and Joe Kozak service ace following a 23-23 deadlock would knot the match up at one apiece. In the third, Nichols used a balanced offensive approach, getting kills from five separate Bison to take a 2-1 lead. Junior setter Dylan Urbanski touched double-digit assists in the fourth set with 10, including a ball to Jake Harasyko on set point that put the Cougars away, 25-23, for the first victory of the campaign.

Both Martinez and Mercado combined for 30 of Nichols' 50 kills in the match. Soracco compiled five blocks to go along with his seven kills while Urbanski dished out 36 assists and helped out defensively with eight digs, good for a team-best.