Elmira Box Score
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ELMIRA, N.Y. – After splitting its day one matches at the Elmira Invitational, the No. 13 State University of New York at New Paltz men's volleyball team (4-1) responded with two straight-set victories on the second and final day of the tournament Sunday afternoon, topping host Elmira College (2-2), 3-0 (25-13, 25-15, 25-20), before downing The City College of New York (0-4), 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-18).

Sixth-year head coach Radu Petrus earned his 97th and 98th career victories on Sunday, standing just two wins away from becoming just the third coach in program history to eclipse the 100-win mark. Bill Odeneal (1967-87; 204) and current assistant coach Tony Bonilla (1998-95, 97-2000; 197) are the other two bench directors who have achieved 100 career victories.

New Paltz hit .579 in the first set against the Soaring Eagles, and Elmira was never able to recover after that lopsided first stanza, which ended at 25-13 in favor of the Hawks. The Blue and Orange captured the second set, 25-15, and the third set, 25-20.

The Hawks relied on a balanced attack, with senior opposite Mike Van Tyne (Rochester, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta) leading the way with 10 kills and a .318 hitting percentage. Sophomore setter Misa Garo (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Hayes) handed out 26 assists, and sophomore outside hitter Victor Tuminelli (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills West) floored a match-high three service aces. Defensively, senior libero Michael Dauernheim (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore) and Garo tied for the match-high in digs with five, and Garo added two block solos and one block assist.

For Elmira, Mike Stianche and Tyler Smith tied for the team-high in kills with seven, and Michael Vellutato accounted for all 24 of the team's assists. Nick Scalia and Ryan Gelenitis tied Dauernheim and Garo for the match-high total in digs (5), while Ryan Nerney and Smith each registered two block solos.

CCNY was overwhelmed by an efficient Hawk attack, as New Paltz had just nine attack errors the entire match on its way to a .278 hitting percentage. The Hawks also controlled the match defensively, boasting 37 digs and 9.5 total team blocks. CCNY had a tough time matching up with New Paltz's personnel, as the Beavers played with just seven players.

Van Tyne once again led the team in kills with eight, while Garo ignited the offense with 25 assists. Dauernheim, Garo and sophomore outside hitter Cameron Brown (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) all tied for the match-high in digs with eight, while sophomore setter/outside hitter Brian Smith (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) and sophomore outside hitter Brian O'Connor (Guilderland, N.Y./Guilderland) each had five block assists.

For CCNY, Nick Siriban paced the attack with a match-high 11 kills, and Xihe Xie handed out 14 assists. Leudy Veras and Xie powered the back row with seven and six digs, respectively, while Rubin Taipi and Siriban chipped in with a pair of block assists each.

New Paltz is idle for a week and a half before opening up United Volleyball Conference (UVC) play against Bard College on Wednesday, Feb. 1, at 7 p.m. in Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y.