NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – The No. 3 State University of New York at New Paltz men's volleyball team will host New York University in its final United Volleyball Conference (UVC) match of the 2014 season on Thursday, March 13, at 7 p.m.
RECORDS: New Paltz enters Thursday evening's contest with a record of 19-3, 7-2 UVC, while NYU is currently is 12-6, 5-5.
SCOUTING THE HAWKS (19-3, 7-2 UVC): The Hawks competed in the last UVC Crossover of the season in Elmira, N.Y., last Saturday-Sunday, where they went 2-1… New Paltz finished off its last match of the weekend against Hilbert College with a 3-0 win on Sunday, March 9… Twelve different New Paltz players contributed on the court in the win… Sophomore setter
Christian Smith led the attack with seven kills and a match-high 22 assists… Freshman middle blocker
C.J. Borfitz paced the defense with seven total blocks... Freshman middle blocker
Steven Woessner was named the UVC Rookie of the Week after hitting .457 (22-6-35) and averaging 2.44 kills per set, 0.56 blocks per set, 0.56 assists per set, 0.33 digs per set and 0.22 service aces per set during the Hawks' three matches at the UVC Crossover.
STATISTICAL LEADERS: Ferriter leads the team and ranks fifth in the conference in kills per set (3.68)… He has knocked down double-digit kills in all but four of the matches in which he has played with 239 total kills for the season… Smith has dished out double-digit assists in the team's last 15 matches, only dipping to single digits in one match, while junior setter
John Lutjen has kept up double-digit assists in all but three matches… Woessner leads the team and ranks fourth in the UVC in service aces, averaging 0.42 per set.
TEAM STATISTICS: Offensively, New Paltz leads the conference in three statistical categories, ranking first in hitting percentage (.307), kills per set (13.09) and service aces per set (1.75).
SCOUTING THE VIOLETS (12-6, 5-5 UVC): NYU also competed at the UVC Crossover at Elmira, splitting its two matches on Sunday, March 9… The Violets first defeated D'Youville College, 3-0, before losing to Elmira College, 3-2… Sophomore outside hitter Colin LaPorte knocked down 17 kills and four service aces against D'Youville… In the loss against Elmira, freshman outside hitter Chase Klein had a match-high 24 kills, and senior setter Connor Mortland dished out 56 assists.
STATISTICAL LEADERS: Klein leads the team and is ranked fifth in the conference in kills per set (3.85)… Sophomore outside hitter Phil Bueno ranks second in the UVC in hitting percentage (.435) and first in the conference in services aces, averaging 0.46 per set… Mortland leads the UVC in assists per set with 10.98.
TEAM STATISTICS: The Violets lead the conference in assists per set, averaging 12.21, while ranking just below New Paltz in hitting percentage (.294) and kills per set (12.95)… NYU ranks third in the UVC in service aces with 1.42 per set.
LAST MEETING: Then-No. 7 New Paltz swept then-No. 8 NYU, 3-0, on Feb. 26, 2013, in a key UVC match.
MATCH RECAP:
Feb. 26, 2013 WHAT'S NEXT: New Paltz next travels to New York City on Wednesday, March 26, to face Hunter College at 7 p.m… NYU next heads to Newark, N.J., for a tri-match on March 15 to first challenge Princeton University at 2 p.m. before taking on host Rutgers University-Newark at 5 p.m.
COACHES: New Paltz is led by eighth-year head coach
Radu Petrus, while NYU is directed by head coach Jose Pina, in his 21st season.
