Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Senior middle blocker Jake Roessler (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) exploded for a career-high 22 kills on Friday afternoon to help send the No. 4 men's volleyball team at the State University of New York at New Paltz past No. 2 and host Vassar College 3-1 (34-32, 25-22, 24-26, 25-18) to advance to the 2017 UVC title match on Saturday.

The No. 4-seeded Hawks (24-7 overall) will look to repeat as UVC champions and hoist their third-overall title (2014, 2016) in Saturday's 2 p.m. match against No. 2 seed (No. 10) NYU (17-9 overall), who defeated No. 3 seed Stevens in five sets in Friday's second semifinal. Vassar, meanwhile, moves to 26-7 overall.

This victory avenged the regular season loss to the Brewers on March 29 on Senior Night, a match that saw a 2-0 New Paltz lead evaporate.

Roessler has now led the Hawks in kills on back-to-back matches and seems to be saving his best volleyball for the stretch run. Roessler hit .265 (22-9-49) and also provided four total blocks and six digs.

Junior outside hitter Anthony Bonilla (New Paltz, N.Y./New Paltz) provided 14 kills, nine digs and three total blocks while senior middle blocker Steven Woessner (Massapequa Park, Massapequa) – who missed the regular season match versus Vassar due to illness – tallied 11 kills (.308), five digs and two service aces.

Freshman setter Matthew Grace (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem North) dished out 46 helpers while freshman libero Robert Nolan (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem North) paced the defense with 15 digs. Freshman middle blocker Nick O'Malley (East Meadow, N.Y./East Meadow) contributed six kills, four aces and four total blocks.

Both teams participated in an epic opening set which went in New Paltz's favor, 34-32. Despite leading 23-20 and 24-23 at set point, the Hawks could not end the set in regular fashion.

Trading points down the stretch run, Vassar claimed a slim 32-31 lead looking to take the opener. However, the Hawks notched the final three scores, including two kills by Roessler, to pull out the extra-point victory.

New Paltz followed with a 25-22 win in set two to claim a 2-0 lead. The Brewers looked to rally with a tight, 26-24 win, using three attacking errors by the Hawks in crunch time to their advantage.

In the fourth and final stanza, New Paltz jumped out to a 20-13 advantage and Woessner closed out the set and punched the ticket to the championship match with a service ace to send the host team packing.