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POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Junior middle blocker Kevin Stross (Port Washington, N.Y.) floored his 1,000th career kill in the first set of Saturday afternoon's United Volleyball Conference (UVC) Crossover match at Vassar College, but the No. 15 State University of New York at New Paltz men's volleyball team (11-9, 2-5 UVC) fell, 3-1 (25-20, 25-18, 25-27, 25-20), to No. 2 Nazareth College (18-3, 6-0 UVC).

Stross finished the day with 1,006 career kills, which ranks him fifth all-time in program history. He became just the fifth Hawk men's volleyball player to reach the 1,000-kill milestone, and he did so as a junior.

New Paltz led 15-8 in the first set, but Nazareth scored five unanswered points to pull within two at 15-13. Will Siwy knotted the tally at 16-all, marking the Golden Flyers' first share of the lead since the scoreboard read 2-2. Both teams traded points until Nazareth scored six straight to move out in front, 23-18. The Golden Flyers stamped out all chances of a Hawk comeback in the stanza, and a Robert Kraft kill gave Nazareth the set victory.

The match appeared decided after a one-sided second set, as Nazareth went up 2-0 after taking the second game by a 25-18 final. However, New Paltz battled back in the third, using inspired play to take the set.

New Paltz held a comfortable cushion in the third, as it led, 23-17, late in the frame. Nazareth, however, scored five straight to draw within one, and Brian Bunch tied the score at 24-all with a kill from an E.J. Wells-Spicer set. Freshman setter Brian Smith (Massapequa, N.Y.) put the Hawks on top, 25-24, but the Golden Flyers answered back to even the score. Smith floored another kill to give New Paltz a one-point lead, and Will Siwy's attack error allowed the Hawks to win the set, 27-25.

Despite playing even with the Golden Flyers in the fourth set, the Hawks were doomed by unforced errors, and Nazareth took advantage of those miscues. Five service errors doomed New Paltz, and those five points wound up being the difference.

Senior outside hitter Keith MacDonald (Monroe Township, N.J.) was the lone Hawk to reach double-digit figures in kills (14), as New Paltz hit just .207 on the match. Smith hit .533 with nine kills and just one attack error in 15 attempts, while Stross floored eight kills. Senior setter Andrew Cassius (Brooklyn, N.Y.) handed out a match-high 41 assists, and MacDonald boasted seven digs. Stross paced the front row on defense with four total blocks (two block solos and two block assists).

For Nazareth, Hans Schroeder also had 14 kills, while Bunch pitched in 13. Siwy hit .750 on the contest, corralling 10 kills and one attack error in 12 total attempts. Wells-Spicer handed out 40 assists, but he struggled off the serve, racking up five service errors. Dan Mowery fared well as the team's libero, coming up with a match-high eight digs. Siwy and Ellis Walsh fortified the front row on defense with five total blocks apiece.

New Paltz returns to action tomorrow, as it continues UVC Crossover play at Vassar. The Hawks take on Hilbert College at noon, followed by a 2 p.m. match with No. 11 Medaille College.