1/10/2026
Nazareth opened their 2026 season with authority on Friday afternoon, dispatching Rivier in straight sets at the Wildcat Field House in Marcy, New York. The Golden Flyers took the match 3-0 with set scores of 25-13, 25-23, and 27-25, improving to 1-0 on the young season while Rivier dropped to 0-1. A modest crowd of 35 fans witnessed the 4:12 pm first serve in what turned out to be a competitive affair despite the sweep. The victory marked the first win for Nazareth head coach Eben Meyer, who will look to build momentum from this successful debut.
The opening set belonged entirely to Nazareth, who dominated from start to finish in a 25-13 blowout. The Golden Flyers attacked at a blistering .520 clip in the frame, recording nine kills on just 16 attempts with only one error. Rivier struggled mightily to find any offensive rhythm, hitting just .080 with seven kills against 25 total attacks. That 12-point margin set the tone early, though Rivier would prove far more resilient in the sets to come.
Set two saw Rivier mount a legitimate challenge, tightening up their attack and defense considerably. The Raiders hit .074 for the frame while holding Nazareth to .200, a significant improvement from the opening disaster. Rivier recorded 10 kills on 27 attempts, showing flashes of the offense that would keep them competitive. Still, Nazareth found a way to close out the set 25-23, maintaining their perfect record on the afternoon despite the increased pressure.
The third set delivered the drama both teams and fans craved. Rivier pushed Nazareth to the brink, forcing extra points in a back-and-forth battle that saw the Golden Flyers escape with a 27-25 victory. Nazareth hit an impressive .343 in the deciding frame with 15 kills on 35 attacks, while Rivier posted their best offensive performance of the match at .296 with 17 kills on just 25 swings. The Raiders proved they could hang with their opponents when firing on all cylinders, but ultimately came up just short when it mattered most.
Tristan Henderson led all players with 11 kills for Nazareth, attacking efficiently on 16 attempts while adding a block and two digs to his stat line. Ryan Murphy provided excellent secondary scoring with eight kills on 16 swings, hitting .313 while contributing two aces and two blocks in a well-rounded performance. Quintin Chiles added five kills as the Golden Flyers spread the offensive wealth across their roster. Setter AJ Burda orchestrated the attack masterfully with 27 assists while chipping in three service aces and four total points.
Rivier received strong individual performances despite the loss. Cade Barron paced the Raiders with nine kills on 18 attempts while leading the team with five digs and adding two blocks. Cody Fitzpatrick contributed eight kills on 16 swings, hitting an efficient .375 for the match. The real story for Rivier, however, was the emergence of junior middle blocker Tyler Dickinson. The nearly 7-footer put together a statement performance with seven kills on 10 errorless attempts, hitting a perfect .700 while swatting away a match-high five blocks and adding two service aces. Dickinson’s presence at the net proved disruptive all afternoon, and his efficient attacking gave Rivier a legitimate weapon in the middle. Setter Justin Barish distributed 24 assists to keep the Rivier offense moving throughout the three sets.
The service line proved to be a significant difference maker in this contest. Nazareth recorded 10 aces as a team compared to just three for Rivier, with Burda’s three aces leading the way for the Golden Flyers. Joe Seliger and Murphy each added two aces in the winning effort. On the flip side, Nazareth committed 13 service errors to Rivier’s four, suggesting an aggressive serving strategy that ultimately paid dividends despite the mistakes.
Nazareth will look to build on this opening victory as they continue their season, having demonstrated both dominant stretches and the ability to win tight sets when challenged. Rivier showed enough fight in the final two frames to suggest better days ahead, particularly if they can recapture that .296 hitting percentage from set three on a more consistent basis. The Raiders will seek their first win of 2026 in their next outing, armed with the knowledge that they can compete when executing their game plan.