IMMACULATA, Pa.- The Immaculata men's volleyball team opened their 2025 season defeating Bryn Athyn College 3-1 (25-22, 38-40, 25-16, 25-22) on Tuesday evening at Alumnae Hall. New Immaculata Head Coach Josh Elliott earns his first Immaculata and NCAA win in his IU coaching debut. Josh McGurl led Immaculata tying his own program single match record with 22 kills, and a team high 11 digs. Joe Martell distributed 39 assists for the Mighty Macs.

With the win Immaculata moves to 1-0 on the season and improves their series record with Bryn Athyn to 5-0 all-time. With the loss Bryn Athyn falls to 1-2 on the season.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Set 1: With Immaculata trailing 15-11, the Mighty Macs got a side out to make the score 15-12. Brandon Lieberman served four consecutive points to put Immaculata ahead 16-15. The teams would exchange points, and Josh McGurl got a kill to put Immaculata up 22-21. Brandon Lieberman served the final two points which came on kills from McGurl and Noah Zunski as Immaculata took set one 25-22.
• Set 2: Brandon Lieberman served four straight points including two service aces and a kill from Noah Zunski as Immaculata took an early 8-2 lead. Immaculata would later take a 23-18 lead, but Bryn Athyn would not go quietly rallying to take an eventually 25-24 lead. The teams would exchange points. Josh McGurl got a kill to tie the score at 38-38. Bryn Athyn would score the next two points to take set two 40-38 and even the match at 1-1.
• Set 3: With the score tied at 5-5, Noah Zunski served five consecutive points that included back-to-back service aces as Immaculata took a 10-5 lead. Joe Martell extended Immaculata's lead to 16-8 serving three straight points that included a Josh McGurl kill, and a service ace. Immaculata would go on to take the third set 25-16 ending it on a McGurl kill.
• Set 4: Bryn Athyn jumped out to an early 7-4 lead in the fourth set, before Immaculata used a four-point run to take an 8-7 lead. Noah Zunski served three straight points. Michael Prall served three straight points that included a pair of kills from Joe Martell as Immaculata extended their lead to 19-13. Bryn Athyn again rallied to close the Immaculata lead to 23-22. Josh McGurl got a kill, and Joe Martell served the decisive point as Immaculata closed out the 3-1 win taking set four 25-22.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Josh McGurl tied his own IU program record for kills in one match, with 22 kills. He had one service ace and had a team-high 11 digs.
• Joe Martell had 39 assists, five kills, one service ace, three total blocks, and seven digs.
• Matthew Pfister 10 digs, and two assists.
• Noah Zunski had 10 kills, three service aces, and 10 digs in his first collegiate match.
• Brandon Lieberman had three service aces.
• Christian Lee had four kills, one blocked shot, and two digs.
• Nate Bailey had four kills and four digs in his collegiate debut.
• Jordan Brown had two kills, and three total blocks in his college debut.

UP NEXT

• The Immaculata men's volleyball team will be back in action on Saturday, February 1^st when they travel to Washington D.C. to play in a tri-match at Gallaudet University. Immaculata will play Randolph-Macon (3-4) at 2 p.m. and host Gallaudet (0-1) at 4 p.m.