Thiel Box Score
Juniata Box Score
Tournament Website

ELMIRA, N.Y. – The No. 13 State University of New York at New Paltz men's volleyball team (2-1) split in its day one matches at the Elmira Invitational on Saturday, edging Thiel College (0-1), 3-2 (22-25, 22-25, 25-20, 25-23, 15-10), before suffering a 3-0 (25-16, 25-23, 25-21) setback at the hands of fifth-ranked Juniata College (3-2).

Against Thiel, New Paltz registered a .405 hitting percentage (66 kills and 15 errors in 126 total attempts) while forcing the Tomcats to make 42 digs. The Hawks held a 9.0-7.5 edge in total team blocks, but Thiel fared better off the serve, charting six service aces and eight service errors to New Paltz's four service aces and 15 service errors.

Senior opposite Mike Van Tyne (Rochester, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta) floored a career-high 27 kills and hit at a .649 clip to power the Hawk attack. In addition, Van Tyne boasted two total blocks (one solo, one assist), two service aces and two digs. Three other Hawks joined Van Tyne in double-digit kill figures, as senior middle blocker Kevin Stross (Port Washington, N.Y./Paul D. Schreiber) boasted 13, while junior outside hitter Bryan Weber (Stony Brook, N.Y./Ward Melville) and sophomore middle blocker Dylan Rabidoux (Rochester, N.Y./Spencerport) offered 11 each. Sophomore setter Misa Garo (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Hayes) kept the offense running, doling out a match-high 53 assists. Defensively, senior libero Michael Dauernheim (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore) led the way with nine digs, while Stross contributed three block solos and one block assist.

For Thiel, Dante McCoy filled the stat sheet with team-highs in kills (18), digs (8) and blocks (one solo, two assist). John Turner added 13 kills, while Andrew Pohlod and Colin Vitale recorded seven digs each. Corey Hamilton assumed the setting duties and accounted for 48 of the team's 51 assists.

Juniata cruised to a three-set win in the nightcap, taking the first set by a count of 25-16 before besting the Hawks in sets two and three by respective scores of 25-23 and 25-21. New Paltz's offense cooled off from its hot streak against Thiel, as the team combined for a .179 hitting percentage. Furthermore, the Eagles outblocked the Hawks by an 8.0-4.0 margin. Defensively, New Paltz was unable to figure out Juniata's hitters, collecting just five digs as a team.

Van Tyne once again ignited the Hawk attack, slamming down a match-high 13 kills. Stross hit at an efficient .529 rate (10 kills and one error in 17 total attempts), while Garo handed out 24 assists. Tuminelli corralled the team-high total in digs with three.

For Juniata, Paul Kuhn and Paul Ejups each had 10 kills, and Kuhn achieved a scintillating .643 hitting percentage (10 kills and one error in 14 total attempts). Eric McCarthy had a match-high five digs, while Ejups posted three block solos and one block assist.

New Paltz finishes up action at the Elmira Invitational tomorrow, as the Hawks take on host Elmira College at 10 a.m. before squaring off with The City College of New York at 12 p.m.