Box Score NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – In an impressive display of offensive power, the No. 2 State University of New York at New Paltz men's volleyball team handed non-conference New Jersey City University a 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-15) loss on Wednesday at the Hawk Center in the regular-season finale for both teams.
In the final home match for seniors
Brian Smith (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa),
Victor Tuminelli (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills West),
Dylan Rabidoux (Rochester, N.Y./Spencerport) and
Brian O'Connor (Guilderland, N.Y./Guilderland), New Paltz, which stretched its winning streak to six, sent itself into the postseason on a high note, hitting at a season-best .606 clip (50-7-71). Notably, it served as the highest-ever hitting percentage by a New Jersey City opponent.
New Paltz rises to 24-3 overall and begins its quest for a United Volleyball Conference (UVC) title on Saturday, April 12, as the second-seeded Hawks compete against seventh-seeded Penn State Behrend in the quarterfinal round of the UVC Tournament at 1 p.m. at Nazareth College. New Jersey City drops to 12-17 and will look to upset top-seeded and 14th-ranked Kean University in the semifinal round of the Skyline Conference Tournament on Saturday at 1 p.m.
The match's result was never in any serious question, as there were just five tie scores and one lead change the entire match. The Hawks dominated the stat sheet in virtually every department, with an 11-2 edge in service aces and a 5.5-1 cushion in total team blocks. New Paltz also limited the Gothic Knights to .167 hitting for the match, including a .118 mark in the third set.
Seniors Smith and O'Connor were appropriately the stars of the match for the Hawks, notching 10 kills each with hitting percentages of .750 and .643, respectively. Rabidoux and Tuminelli were each effective as well, with Rabidoux totaling seven kills and two block assists and Tuminelli coming up with five digs. Sophomore setter
Christian Smith (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) posted match-highs in both assists (25) and service aces (4).
For New Jersey City, junior outside hitter Bill Le finished with a team-high six kills and a .235 hitting percentage. Senior setter Gary Preston Jr. handed out a team-high 16 assists, while sophomore libero Jon Diaz defended four digs.
