WILKES-BARRE, PA (January 16, 2022) -- The King's College men's volleyball team stormed out of the gate in their 2022 season opener and their first collegiate contest in 676 days as they dominated the visiting Neumann University Knights in straight sets to start the season 2-0.

Game 1 - W, 3-0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-17):
The Monarchs were electric in this doubleheader from the start. After Neumann (0-2) took the early 7-6 lead, the Monarchs went on the attack as they allowed just five more Knights points down the stretch as they cruised to a 25-12 set one win. Set two was a similar story as Neumann tied the set, 6-6, on a King's (2-0) error, but four straight points from the Monarchs switched momentum as the hosts easily secured the second set, 25-12. It seemed as though the final set would be more of the same with King's leading, 9-1, early, but with the Monarchs holding a 21-10 advantage, Neumann responded to pull within six, 23-17. A Knights error and an ace from junior Sam Capwell put an end to the Neumann comeback efforts as King's won the third set, 25-17, behind a remarkable .632 hitting percentage (14-19), and the season-opener, 3-0.

Sophomore Jared Piontkowski dominated in his collegiate debut, totaling 16 kills on 26 attempts, hitting .385, with seven digs and three blocks. Junior Joe Herman also recorded double-digit kills, adding 13 kills on 22 attempts, hitting .364, with five digs and an ace. Junior setter George Beck dished out 31 assists with a team-high eight digs, while Capwell tallied a team-high five aces with four kills, hitting .500, with a block, and two digs. Additionally, senior Matt Piontkowski went 6-of-8, hitting .625 to start off his senior campaign.

Neumann was led by Josiah Melendez with 5 kills, while Brandon Baskerville recorded a team-high five digs with three kills and three aces. 

King's hit a solid .371 (40-70) in the opening match while holding Neumann to an abysmal -.029. The Monarchs held the advantage in every statistical category, including points (54-17), kills (40-13), aces (10-3), blocks (4-1), assists (34-10), and digs (34-14).

Game 2 - W, 3-0 (25-14, 25-13, 25-6):
The early season doubleheader saw its effects take hold early over Neumann as the Monarchs dominated the match from the start. King's rattled off a 17-9 start before winning the opening set, 25-14. The second set had the Knights trialing by just one, 10-9, off a kill from TJ McConnell, but King's recorded eight unanswered points to take a commanding 18-9 lead that Neumann would not recover from as the Monarchs won the set, 25-13. The final set of the day summed up the match well as King's sported an early 15-1 advantage before posting the set three final, 25-6, and the win in match two, 3-0.

Jared Piontkowski led again with six kills, adding five digs, four aces, and two blocks in the sweep. Capwell and Matt Piontkowski each added five kills, while Capwell also recorded three aces and four blocks. Beck handed out 17 of the Monarchs 19 helpers in the win, while sophomore Mike Bizzoco added five digs in the back row.

Melendez and Eric Van Horn each had three kills for Neumann, while Jules Maiorano totaled nine assists and five digs.

As a team, the Monarchs hit .280 (24-50) for the match while holding the Knights to a -.115 hitting percentage. Inside the stat sheet, King's held the advantage in points (46-18), kills (24-14), aces (14-3), blocks (8-1), assists (19-11), and digs (22-16).

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The Monarchs are back in action on Wednesday as they travel to Immaculata University in non-conference play. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.