New Paltz, NY —The State University of New York at New Paltz stayed perfect at home and extended its winning streak to nine games Wednesday after defeating visiting Milwaukee School of Engineering and Russell Sage in straight sets.
 
The Hawks (14-3 overall, 3-0 UVC) opened up the doubleheader against the Raiders (8-4, 4-0 NACC) and finished the game hitting a season-best .415 as a team and continued improving each set, as they totaled 45 kills in the win. Brendan Spulnick and Chris Shanley each finished in double-figure kills with 13 and 10, respectively, while each also tallied two aces in the win. Pat Wing wasn't too far behind with seven kills as he also added two aces to go along with a team-leading three blocks. Kyle Shaffer had a strong game, spreading the ball around to six different hitters and compiled 32 assists.
 
The first set was tight between the two teams, as the score was tied 15 times, including at 23 before Shaffer set Wing in the middle for a kill to earn back serve. Shaffer then went back to Wing on the following point and the junior smashed another kill to close out the first, 25-23.
 
SUNY New Paltz rolled in the second and got out to a quick 11-3 lead with Shanley serving through a 7-0 stretch where he registered both of his aces in the match to help his team to an eight-point cushion. Milwaukee got as close as three to the Hawks lead after recording back-to-back kills to trim the deficit, 19-16, but SUNY New Paltz responded with consecutive kills from Wing and Shaffer to re-up the five-point advantage. Serving errors by each team pushed the score to 22-18, but Shanley answered with a kill off a set from Shaffer with the Raiders aiding in set-point following a hitting error. Milwaukee earned back two points but couldn't pile on as another service error gave the Hawks a 25-20 win.
 
 
The momentum stayed with SUNY New Paltz in the third, as an early 7-0 run to start the set pushed the hosts in front for the rest of the third. The Raiders cut the lead to three at 21-18, 22-19 and again at 23-20 before John Ronan registered a kill to push the Hawks to match point. A service error by SUNY New Paltz again created a three-point difference, but Spulnick ended the game on a hard swing from the outside to give the Hawks a 25-21 third set victory.
 
SUNY New Paltz rested its starters in the following match against the Gators (4-12, 0-2 NECC) and continued to hit efficiently. The Hawks outscored Sage, 50-18, in the match and totaled 35 kills to their 15, while setting a season-high with 13 aces. 
Tim Drake played in just the first two sets and still led the way with 10 kills on 16 attempts, while adding two aces. Nathan Petrik, getting the start at right side, followed with seven kills and registered a team-high three aces in the win, while Christopher Larkin and Adam Brawn each added five kills along with seven digs and two blocks, respectively. Matt Logel had seven kills on just nine attempts and two aces. Cam Clark was the facilitator as he got the start at setter and recorded 28 assists.
 
SUNY New Paltz never trailed at any point against Sage, as it won in three, 25-14, 25-12, 25-20. The Gators made the final set close, as a kill inched them within two of the lead at 22-20, but the Hawks ended the match with three-straight points thanks to kills by Brawn and Larkin, sandwiched between an ace from Petrik.
 
SUNY New Paltz is back in action Saturday, playing against hosting Elms College and Rutgers-Newark in a tri-match in Chicopee, MA. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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