Box Score HOBOKEN, N.J. – Meeting for the third time this season, the No. 3 State University of New York at New Paltz men's volleyball team and No. 1 Stevens battled in an epic five-set match on Saturday in the 2015 NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Semifinals, but unfortunately, the Hawks fell to the host Ducks 3-2 (18-25, 25-23, 23-25, 25-21, 15-13) at Canavan Arena.
For the second straight year, the Hawks' season comes to an end in the national semifinals as New Paltz wraps up the season with a 27-6 overall mark. Five of the Hawks' six losses this season have come against the two teams in Sunday's title contest. The Ducks, meanwhile, improve to 30-4 and will compete in the National Championship match tomorrow at 2 p.m. against three-time defending champion, No. 2 Springfield.
Sophomore middle blocker
Steven Woessner (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) led the team with 18 kills on 28 swings (.536) and contributed five digs and two aces. Joining Woessner on the attack was junior setter
Christian Smith (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa), who tallied a triple-double with 11 kills, 12 digs and a match-high 28 assists.
Senior setter
John Lutjen (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) contributed 22 assists and ends his collegiate career ranked fifth all-time in program assists (1,680). Classmate
Misa Garo (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Hayes) also concluded his career and is ranked fourth all-time in assists (1,746).
Junior middle blocker
Christopher Husmann (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) finished with 11 kills and freshman outside hitter
Anthony Bonilla (New Paltz, N.Y./New Paltz) tallied 10 kills. Junior libero
Kevin Nardone (Port Washington, N.Y./Paul D. Schreiber) directed the defense with a match-high 17 digs. The match featured 27 total ties, including 10 in a back-and-forth second set.
In the first set, Stevens jumped out to a commanding 12-4 lead but New Paltz managed to rally and climbed to within 14-11, on back-to-back aces by Husmann. The Ducks proved to be too much in the opener, though, and handed New Paltz a 25-18 defeat.
In set number two, Woesnner received the serve and rattled off five-straight points for the Hawks to give an 8-5 lead to New Paltz. Stevens made a charge and tied the match at 15-15 and the contest continued to be neck-and-neck down the stretch. Tied at 23, Bonilla and Woesnner both floored kills and the Hawks enjoyed an attacking error by Stevens to clinch set two.
In the swing set of number three, the Ducks jumped out to a 3-1 lead but New Paltz answered and earned a 15-12 edge. Again, the contest was tight and Stevens kept finding the hardwood to squeeze out a 25-23 win.
The Hawks were able to clinch set number four as New Paltz enjoyed a 14-10 lead and increased that to 18-14 after a Lutjen kill. Stevens inched to within two points (22-20) but another Lutjen kill and attacking error by the Ducks forced the final fifth set.
Stevens enjoyed a 4-1 lead to begin the final stanza but the Hawks were determined to make a stand and tied the set at 8-8 after kills by Husmann and Woessner. Stevens rattled off four unanswered points to take a 12-8 edge but again New Paltz stood its ground and came within one point (12-11) after a kill by Smith. Two more kills by Smith brought the Hawks to a one-point deficit (14-13) but unfortunately, Stevens closed out the New Paltz season following a timeout.
