Men's Volleyball Captures River States Conference Title
Submitted on April 14, 2025
Georgetown entered Friday night's match against Cumberland knowing a win would lock up the RSC regular season title and 1-seed for the tournament. The Phoenix proved a tough out, but Georgetown made just enough plays to take the title via a 3-1 win.
The Tigers got out to a strong start by scoring 5 of 6 to start the night. Georgetown kept its lead out to 9-6 before Cumberland made its first run. The Phoenix rolled off 4 straight to take its first lead at 10-9. Georgetown countered with its Polish power. Adam Szewinski and Michal Bak swatted down the next 3 to put the Tigers back on top at 12-11. Cumberland tied the set at 13, but a serve error and another Bak kill gave Georgetown a lead it would not relinquish. Cumberland got back within a single point 2 more times, but Georgetown's defense kept together and allowed the offense to find its rhythm late. Cumberland hit just .096 in the set, capped by a Miguel Ariza Vega block at the end for a 25-20 Georgetown win.
Set 2 was tight early as Georgetown took a 4-3 lead. Cumberland swung back with 5 straight to send Georgetown to a timeout and an 8-4 deficit. The Tigers countered with a middle attack to start. Adam Szewinski and Miguel Ariza Vega started Georgetown's run back into the set. Michal Bak soon followed with consecutive kills and after a Robin Puss ace, Georgetown had gone on a 6-1 run to take the lead at 10-9. Cumberland fought back with a mini-run to assume a 14-12 lead. Georgetown scored the next 3 for a 15-14 lead. Cumberland was able to inch ahead as the set drew near its close. The Phoenix worked their way into 3 set points. All were thwarted by the Tigers, but the 4th proved the lucky charm as Cumberland took the set, 27-25, to level the match.
Cumberland carried the momentum well into set 3. Georgetown did not grab a lead until blocks from Robin Puss and Adam Szewinski capped a 3-0 run to give the Tigers a 12-11 advantage. With the set tied at 13, Georgetown then took its largest lead to that point as a kill from Bak and a block from Vega made it a 2-point margin. Cumberland scored 4 of the next 5 to retake the lead at 17-16. The seesaw battle continued until Cumberland had another set point at 24-23. Georgetown went back outside to Michal Bak, who delivered another one of his 20 kills on the night to level the set at 24. With Bak now on serve, setter Finn Heinemann kept going outside, but this time to Kristjan Unt, who's next kill suddenly gave Georgetown a set point at 25-24, as Cumberland called for time. Out of the break, Heinemann went right back to Unt, who delivered again as the Tigers rolled off the final 3 points for a 26-24 win, putting them a set away from the title.
Set 4 was Georgetown's turn with the lead in the early going. With a 9-7 edge, Szewinski and Bak doubled the lead and forced the Phoenix into a timeout. Later in the set and with a 14-12 lead, Georgetown again pushed it to 4 thanks to a Vega kill and CU attack error. The Phoenix got 1 back, but another error and Szewinski kill gave GC its largest lead at 18-13. The Phoenix were finally able to threaten the Tigers later in the set with a 3-0 run that cut a 20-16 Georgetown lead down to 1. An exchange of points gave the Tigers a 21-20 edge. A CU error and Vega kill moved the Tigers 2 points away from the clincher. As was the case all night, the Phoenix refused to go away. 3 straight from Cumberland suddenly drew the set level at 23, sending Georgetown to a timeout. Out of it, the Tigers rode the hot hand of Michal Bak, who has been on fire in the last month. The last of his 20 kills put Georgetown on match point. After an extended rally, Finn Heinemann looked to the middle and Miguel Ariza Vega was there for the clinching point, 25-23.
Heinemann led Georgetown with 52 assists and 14 digs in the win. Michal Bak finished 1 dig shy of another double-double to go with his 20 kills. Kristan Unt did have a double-double with 14 kills, 15 digs. In the middle, Adam Szewinski and Miguel Ariza Vega combined for 19 kills and 7 solo blocks. Ben Meyers was stout on the back line with 22 digs.
Georgetown clinched the 1-seed and hosting rights for the RSC Tournament. The semifinals of the tournament will take place next Friday at Great Crossing High School with the final on Saturday. Start times and bracket information will be announced soon!
