R19 Championship: OCC Men's Volleyball Falls to Northampton in 5 Sets, 3-2

Toms River, NJ - #2 OCC Men's Volleyball fell to top-ranked Northampton Community College, 3-2, in the NJCAA Region 19 Championship final, held at Ocean County College on Saturday (3/10).

The defending Region 19 champion Vikings, who won the title in their inaugural season in 2023, faced tough opposition tonight from a Spartan squad that they'd previously split with during the regular season, earning a 3-1 win on March 9 before losing 3-0 on March 20. The Spartans employed an aggressive offensive attack that Ocean doesn't frequently encounter, forcing the Vikings into defending more than usual. Ocean freshman outside hitter Brogan Duelly, who has seen increased playing time in the wake of injured freshman Danny Kejda's reduced minutes, led the Vikings' scoring effort, with 22 points and 19 kills in this match. OCC freshman middle blocker Jimmy Baxes was a force to be reckoned with as well, blasting 18 points in, along with 11 kills in the tough loss.

The Vikings are 13-5 overall, and will next travel to The College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, IL to participate in the 2024 NJCAA Men's Volleyball Invitational, scheduled to run from April 12-14.