MIT Box Score
Elms Box Score
Tournament Website

NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – An upset victory over the No. 8 Massachusetts Institute of Technology allowed the State University of New York at New Paltz men's volleyball team (3-2) to go 2-0 on Sunday and achieve a record of 3-1 on the weekend at the 2011 Hawks Tournament in the Hawk Center. New Paltz downed MIT, 3-2 (25-21, 22-25, 17-25, 26-24, 15-9), before besting Elms College, 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-15).

Junior middle blocker Kevin Stross (Port Washington, N.Y.), who helped pace New Paltz's attack in its thrilling five-set win over MIT, was named to the All-Tournament Team. He was joined by Jack McKee of Baruch College, Stephen Cameron of Elms College, Curtis Abram of Emmanuel College and Ken Siebert of MIT. Matt Hohenberger of MIT was tabbed as the Tournament MVP.

MIT, Emmanuel and New Paltz all went 3-1 on the weekend, but MIT claimed the distinction of tournament champion based on the tie-breaker of sets won.

New Paltz's signature win of the weekend came against the Engineers in the 10 a.m. match on Sunday, as the Hawks came from behind and knocked off the tournament champions.

The Hawks led throughout most of the first stanza and pulled away after MIT leveled the tally at 15-all. Senior middle blocker Jonathan Van Dyke (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) notched a kill on a blocking error and tallied two more points on back-to-back service aces to stretch the Hawk edge to three. After an MIT timeout, the Engineers committed an attack error to complete New Paltz's string of four straight points.

The second set was hard-fought, but MIT scored points in bunches late to edge the Hawks and tie the match score at 1-all. New Paltz dug itself in a 6-1 hole in the third frame and suffered its worst attacking set of the match. The Hawks' 25-17 defeat in the stanza was due largely to their hitting woes (.143) and the Engineers' success on the attack (.346).

Both squads traded the lead in the fourth set, and MIT appeared headed toward a four-set victory when it went up 22-20 after a Stross attack error. Stross redeemed himself with a kill on the next rally, and Van Dyke and junior opposite Mike Van Tyne (Rochester, N.Y.) notched a block assist to even the tally. Patrick Vatterott's attack error gave the Hawks their first lead since they led 7-6. Siebert knotted the score on the following rally, but Van Tyne put New Paltz in position to claim the match point at 24-23 with a kill. A service error gave MIT a breath of life, but Van Dyke put the Engineers back on the ropes with another kill the following point. MIT's Tim Lee missed the court on the ensuing rally, and New Paltz took the set, 26-24.

MIT was unable to overcome the Hawks' momentum, as New Paltz cruised through the fifth set and led by as many as nine. The Engineers surged late in the set, but the cushion was ultimately too large for them to overcome.

Stross floored 15 kills on 27 total attempts and added just two attack errors, compiling a mind-boggling hitting percentage of .481 on the match. Senior setter Andrew Cassius (Brooklyn, N.Y.) handed out 38 assists and added two blocks (one solo and one assist), while junior defensive specialist/libero Frank Ciccone (Long Beach, N.Y.) racked up 10 digs.

For MIT (8-1), Siebert and Hohenberger tallied 20 kills each, while Lee offered a match-best 59 assists. Jeremy Velazquez had 11 digs, while Vatterott came up with a match-high five total blocks.

Against Elms (1-4), a myriad of fresh faces took the court. After struggling against the Blazers in the first set, the Hawks settled in, taking the final two frames by comfortable margins. On the match, New Paltz hit .355 as a team, while Elms was limited to a .193 hitting percentage.

Freshman setter Brian Smith's (Massapequa, N.Y.) attacks found the floor early and often, as he pieced together a .650 hitting percentage off of 13 kills and no errors on 20 total attempts. Freshman outside hitter Victor Tuminelli (Dix Hills, N.Y.) also had a double-digit kill total, while Van Dyke was also a model of efficiency, achieving a .650 hitting percentage off of nine kills and one attack error in 20 total attempts. In addition, Van Dyke recorded five total blocks, four of which were block solos. Freshman setter Misa Garo (Bronx, N.Y.) took the reins at the setter position, distributing 38 assists. Garo also fortified the defense with seven digs.

For Elms, Yonalvy Acosta hit .588 off of 11 kills and one attack error in 17 total attempts. Kevin Welsh boasted 25 assists, while Stephen Cameron and Daniel Lebron each had nine digs.

New Paltz takes a respite from competition before returning to the court on Thursday, Feb. 3, when it hosts Bard College at 7 p.m. in the Hawk Center. That match will serve as the Hawks' United Volleyball Conference (UVC) opener.