Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Santa Cruz, CA --- Proving to be one of the top teams in the nation this weekend, the State University of New York at New Paltz men's volleyball team concluded the Slug Slam tournament with two more wins to start the regular season 4-0.
 
After dropping the first set in each match Sunday, the Hawks came back to sweep the next three sets in both matches. SUNY New Paltz first defeated North Central College 3-1 (23-25, 25-18, 25-19, 25-20), followed by a 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-14, 25-17) win over host and No. 9 ranked team in the Division III AVCA coaches poll, the University of California Santa Cruz. 
 
Falling down early 5-9 in the first set against North Central College, Hawks coach Radu Petrus called his earliest timeout of the year so far to try and get his team fired up. SUNY New Paltz found its first breakthrough opportunity at 14-10, when a 4-1 run capped off by a junior outside hitter Aaron Carrk kill gave the Hawks their closest margin yet down, 15-14.
 
Never finding the lead again in the set, the Hawks had another opportunity to push past the Cardinals when a kill by junior middle blocker Tevin Skeete tied the set at 22. North Central College answered with a strong 3-1 run to ultimately take the first set and the lead in the match, 25-23.
 
SUNY New Paltz fell early again in the second set, with the Cardinals holding their largest lead of the set up 12-8. To avoid falling 2-0 in the match, a kill by junior middle blocker Nick O'Malley sparked the run the Hawks desperately needed to tie the set at 13. With everything even at 15, another kill by sophomore middle blocker Sam Yakubowski allowed SUNY New Paltz to score four unanswered points and take its largest lead of the match at 19-15.
 
Up 22-18, the Hawks offense proved too much for the Cardinals, as a service ace from junior setter Matthew Grace and two kills by senior outside hitter Nick Smith sealed the set, 25-18, and tied the match.
 
After North Central College scored the first point of the third, it never took the lead back again, as SUNY New Paltz used the second set win to swing momentum in the match and come out firing in the set. Taking an early 12-6 lead off an O'Malley kill, the Cardinals proved no match for the Hawks offense as they cruised to the finish. A kill by Grace sealed the set 25-19, and handed SUNY New Paltz the 2-1 lead in the match.
 
A close fourth set, the Hawks found a spark when a Smith kill created four unanswered points for SUNY New Paltz to take a 14-11 lead. When North Central College came back to take the lead at 17-16, the Hawks continued to provide an answer, as a kill by senior outside hitter Bradley Schneider allowed them to score three more unanswered points and take the lead back, 19-17. SUNY New Paltz's offense warded off any Cardinal attempt, as another kill by Smith sealed the set 25-20, and gave the Hawks their first win of the day, 3-1.
 
Taking its momentum in the second match of the day, SUNY New Paltz got out to a fast start against the University of California Santa Cruz, as an O'Malley kill allowed the Hawks to go up 12-6. The Slugs answered quickly with five unanswered points, grabbing the lead back at 16-15.
 
With the University of California Santa Cruz up 23-20 in the set, a 3-1 run by SUNY New Paltz brought them back behind 24-23, forcing a Slugs timeout. The stoppage of play was all they needed, as an attack error by the Hawks gave the University of California Santa Cruz the set, 25-23, and the lead in the match.
 
A close second set in the beginning, the Slugs made a huge 9-3 run with the score tied at 10, taking the 19-13 lead to fully put momentum on its side. However, SUNY New Paltz answered quickly with a run of its own, as a kill by Skeete sparked a 7-2 run for the Hawks to get them within one at 21-20.

Two kills by Carrk and one by O'Malley gave SUNY New Paltz the lead at 23-22, but the University of California Santa Cruz tied the set even at 23. A kill by Schneider followed by an attack error ultimately gave the Hawks the set 25-23, and kept them within the match, tied at one.
 
SUNY New Paltz's offense came out in full force for the third set, as six unanswered points allowed the Hawks to take a decisive 14-5 lead. The Slugs had absolutely no answer, as three kills by Smith gave SUNY New Paltz the 2-1 lead with a 25-14 set victory.
 
Taking a 4-0 lead in the fourth, the Hawks dominated on both sides of the ball to finish off the match. Scoring in flurries and never allowing the University of California Santa Cruz to take the lead back, a kill by Carrk sealed the set, 25-17, and gave SUNY New Paltz its second win against a top-10 opponent.

Grace was named tournament MVP after finishing with 213 assists through 17 sets played, while Smith and O'Malley were named to the All-Tournament team. 

The Hawks will return to action Jan. 16, when they take on Hope International University in their fifth game of the 2019 California trip.

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