Box Score
Highlights (Courtesy Springfield College)
Press Conference (Courtesy Springfield College)
Photo Gallery (Courtesy Springfield College)
Full Replay (Courtesy NCAA.com)

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Senior Jake Roessler (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) exploded for a career-high 26 kills on Friday evening, lifting the No. 4 men's volleyball program at the State University of New York at New Paltz past No. 2 Vassar 3-0 (25-19, 25-15, 25-23) and into the NCAA Semifinals.

With the victory, the Hawks improve to 26-8 overall and will face either Wentworth or Juniata in the NCAA Semifinals tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. This is the fourth-straight season that New Paltz has reached the Final Four.

If New Paltz faces Wentworth, this will be the first meeting with the Leopards since taking a 3-1 match over Wentworth in the NCAA Quarterfinals last season. If Juniata is the victor, this would be the third meeting this year as New Paltz has gone 2-0 against the Eagles in 2017.

Roessler's 26 kills is tied for the second-most single match (3 set) kills in program history as Chris Wright floored 26 against Roger Williams in Feb. of 1998. The senior set a previous-career high of 22 kills, ironically, at Vassar on April 14 in the UVC Semifinals.

The senior hit .657 (26-3-35) on the day and finished with six digs and two solo blocks. Senior Steven Woessner (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) joined his classmate with 10 kills (.643) and two aces.

For the day, the Hawks hit .383 and enjoyed five aces while the Brewers (26-8 overall) hit .239, including a .167 mark in the first set.

Freshman setter Matthew Grace (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem North) distributed a match-high 42 assists as the Hawks take the season series 2-1 against their Hudson River rivals on the biggest stage.

Tied at 13-13 in the opening set, New Paltz went on a 4-0 spurt thanks to two kills from Roessler to take a 17-13 lead. A quick counter by the Brewers made the set 17-16 but the Hawks recovered nicely as Roessler continued his torrid pace with two more kills to hand New Paltz a 25-19 win.

Following a Woessner kill in the second set, New Paltz claimed a 13-8 edge and increased that lead to 21-14 following another pair of kills of the hot-swinging Roessler. The senior co-captain ended the set with two more executions to give the Blue & Orange a 2-0 lead.

Roessler commanded the third and final set as the Hawks used two more of his terminations to take a 12-7 advantage. Several kills by Woessner handed New Paltz a 14-9 lead before Vassar started to chip away and went on a 6-1 run to trail just 17-15.

Leading 23-22, it was fitting that the two senior captains – Woessner and Roessler – floored the final two points for the Hawks to send their cross-river rivals packing.