Box Score

NEW YORK – The No. 13 State University of New York at New Paltz men's volleyball team (12-5) dropped a 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-19) decision to No. 15 Baruch College (13-7) on Wednesday evening in non-conference action at ARC Arena.

New Paltz was unable to match Baruch's firepower, as the Blue and Orange hit at a .227 clip, while the Bearcats fashioned a .462 hitting percentage. The Hawks were hurt by a .903 reception percentage, while both teams had seven total team blocks. Baruch boasted 28 digs, while New Paltz had 21.

In the first set, both teams traded points in the early stages, and a kill by senior opposite Mike Van Tyne (Rochester, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta) pushed the score to 10-9 in favor of New Paltz. The Bearcats scored two straight points before a kill by sophomore setter/outside hitter Brian Smith (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) knotted the score at 11-all. From that point forward, Baruch would pull away for an easy win in the first frame.

New Paltz controlled the tempo early in the second stanza, and a service ace by sophomore outside hitter Brian O'Connor (Guilderland, N.Y./Guilderland) gave the Hawks a 14-11 cushion. New Paltz kept its distance from Baruch until the Bearcats scored three straight points, and back-to-back Hawk attack errors tied the score at 20-all. Van Tyne floored a kill to draw New Paltz back to even at 22-all, but Baruch scored three of the frame's final four points to claim set two.

The third set was nearly all Baruch, as the Bearcats dictated the momentum throughout. The Bearcats hit .517 during the frame, while the Hawks were only able to muster a .259 hitting percentage.

Van Tyne was the lone New Paltz player to notch double figures in kills with 10, while sophomore setter Misa Garo (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Hayes) dished out 32 assists. O'Connor landed two service aces, while Van Tyne and senior libero Michael Dauernheim (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore) tied for the team-high in digs with five. O'Connor led the Hawks' efforts defensively at the net, registering one block solo and four block assists.

For Baruch, no players reached a double-digit kill total, but four Bearcats boasted at least eight kills: Nick Smith and Jack McKee each had nine, while Christopher Kaimis and Vincent Cruz each floored eight. Vincent Cruz finished with a match-high three service aces, while Danny Olson held down the setter position and doled out 35 assists. Smith keyed the defense, as he came up with eight digs and four block assists.

New Paltz enjoys a weeklong respite before returning to action on Wednesday, March 21, as it takes on Vassar College in a United Volleyball Conference (UVC) match in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. First serve is set for 7 p.m.