ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Nichols men's volleyball wrapped up the Nazareth Invitational with a split on Saturday afternoon at Kidera Gymnasium, falling 3–0 (18-25, 21-25, 21-25)  to Nazareth University before rebounding with a thrilling five-set victory over Penn State Behrend, 3–2 (25-21, 19-25, 25-21, 21-25, 15-8), highlighted by a historic performance from sophomore Adam Vincent.

With the trade the Bison stay with an even record of 3-3 on the season (0-0 CNE).

Match #1 vs Nazareth University (6-2, 0-0 E8)

While the Bison were unable to secure the victory, sophomore Adam Vincent led the offense with a game-high 13 kills while hitting an impressive .280. Juniors Bradyn Pomainville and Bryce Bonville added 13 combined kills, with Bonville finding success from the service line by leading the team with four aces. First-year Matt Hand chipped in two aces, while junior Evan Sachs paced the offense with a team-high 29 assists and anchored the back line with a team-best eight digs.

The match opened with both teams trading points through the early stages of the first set. Kills from sophomores Connor Snow and Adam Vincent tied the score at seven apiece before Nazareth began to pull away with a 9–2 run, putting the Bison on their heels. Nichols attempted to respond with four straight points, sparked by a service ace from Hand, but the deficit proved too large as the Golden Hawks closed out the set, 25–18.

After a back-and-forth start to open the second set, the Bison grabbed their first lead of the game during a three-point run highlighted by a kill from Snow and back-to-back service aces from Bonville. The momentum was short-lived, however, as the Golden Hawks responded to take a 16–11 advantage. Nichols answered again, using a Bonville kill to spark a five-point surge that included another pair of aces from Bonville. Despite closing the gap to 17–19, the Golden Hawks regained control down the stretch. Kills from Vincent and Pomainville kept the Bison within reach, but it was not enough, as the Golden Hawks secured the second set, 25–21.

The third and final set mirrored the previous frame, with both teams trading points early before Nichols found itself trailing Nazareth. Once again, a 7–3 Golden Hawks run created separation, pushing the score to an 16–11 deficit for the Bison. The Bison were determined to win this set, as they clawed back into the match going on a run of their own, deadlocking the game at 18-18 thanks to timely points from Vincent, Hand, and Sachs. Sadly the momentum began to disappear, and the Bison were unable to hold on as the Golden Hawks completed the sweep and ended the match, 21-25.

Match #2 vs Penn State Behrend (2-2, 0-0 AMCC)

Adam Vincent delivered a historic performance against Penn State Behrend, breaking the Nichols single-game kills record with a career-high 27 kills, surpassing the previous mark of 26 set by head coach Jack Normandin in 2024. Vincent continued his dominant day, totaling a program-record 40 kills across the tri-match — the most ever by a Bison in a single tri-match.

Junior Evan Sachs added to the historic night with a career-high 50 assists, tying for fifth-most in a single match in program history. With added assists from Hand (3), Bernardi (3), Bonville (2), and one each from Pomainville and Snow, Nichols shattered the single-match assists record with 60 total. The Bison also tied the single-match kills record with 64 and recorded 20 block assists, tied for fourth-most in program history.

The opening set saw Nichols jump out to an early six-point lead behind Gavin and Pomainville. Penn State Behrend responded to reclaim the lead before the Bison seized control with a 9–3 run. Late kills from Vincent and Gavin sealed the first set, 25–21.

The second set remained tight early before the Lions built an 18–13 advantage. Nichols battled back but couldn't overcome the deficit as Penn State Behrend took the set, 25–19, evening the match.

Both teams came out strong in the third set, but Nichols surged ahead behind Vincent's attack. After the Lions pushed back, the Bison responded with seven unanswered points to pull away and capture the set, 25–21.

The fourth set featured multiple momentum swings, with Nichols grabbing an early 9–6 lead sparked by Vincent and Bonville. Penn State Behrend responded late and edged the Bison, 25–21, forcing a decisive fifth set.

In the final set, Nichols struck first and used a key run to take a 7–4 lead behind Gavin and Vincent. The Bison maintained control and closed out the match, 15–8, securing the five-set victory.

The Bison will continue road play at the MIT Tri-Match on Saturday, January 31, facing Regis College at 12:00 PM and MIT at 2:00 PM at Rockwell Cage.