New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz swept its pair of matchups Saturday in the Hawk Center, defeating Elmira in straight sets and earning a five-set win over Kean University.
 
The Hawks (17-7 overall) improved to a perfect 3-0 in the United Volleyball Conference after rolling to a sweep over the Soaring Eagles (25-15, 25-18, 25-18). They dominated every statistical category including points (57-23), kills (43-23), aces (7-0), blocks (7-0), assists (41-22), digs (17-15) and hitting percentage (.493-.117).
 
Elmira got close midway through the first, closing the score to 11-13 following a kill, but SUNY New Paltz answered by scoring 6-of-7 points to take a comfortable 19-12 lead capped by an ace from Brendan Spulnick. The Hawks then got to set point following a 4-0 run. AJ Fitzgerald and Kyle Shaffer started the stretch with back-to-back kills with Fitzgerald and Krish Jain adding a point on a double block. Pat Wing brought the score to 24-14, slamming a kill off a set by Shaffer with Jain officially giving his team a 1-0 lead on a kill off an assist from Shaffer.
 
 
Ronan and Fitzgerald gave SUNY New Paltz set point in the second period following another double block. Fitzgerald then pushed the lead to 2-0, registering a kill off an assist by Shaffer. The Hawks stormed to a 13-5 lead in the final stanza, but the Soaring Eagles got within two at 13-15. A kill by Spulnick ended the run with Shaffer registering a kill on a set by Ronan, showing some good hands on the point. Jain hit into the net to allow Elmira to side-out, but the Hawks answered with another kill by Spulnick that started a 4-0 run to give SUNY New Paltz a 21-14 lead. Fitzgerald brought the game to match point on a kill with Jain finalizing the win two points later with a kill.
 
Wing had a team-high 11 kills on 18 attempts with an ace and three blocks. Ronan followed with 10 kills, an assist and three blocks. Spulnick finished with nine kills, two aces, a block and three digs, while Shaffer recorded 38 assists, three kills, two aces and three digs.  
SUNY New Paltz needed five sets to beat the Cougars after dropping the first, 25-22 with a lineup full of their first-year players. Hawks coach Radu Petrus re-instated his usual starting lineup in the second and won, 25-17 to tie the match at a set apiece.
 
The Hawks were up 14-11 in the third before a 7-0 run turned the set to Kean, which took an 18-14 lead it never gave up the rest of the period. SUNY New Paltz worked as close as 23-20 following a kill by Wing, but a ball handling error on Shaffer brought the Cougars to set point, sealing the 2-1 lead a point later on a kill.
 
The Hawks regrouped in the fourth and cruised to a 25-11 win to force a fifth set where they continued to dominate, getting out to an 8-4 lead at the switch before extending to a 10-4 advantage on an attacking error and then a kill by Spulnick with Evan Kane serving through the stretch.
 
SUNY New Paltz scored five of the last six points to win the match, finishing with a kill by Spulnick on an assist from Dan LaRosa before a double block by Ronan and Wing closed the set, 15-6 and the 3-2 win.
 
Wing appeared in just four sets but still totaled 20 kills, hitting .432 in the match while adding three aces, four blocks and five digs. Spulnick followed with seven kills, two aces, two blocks and five digs in four sets played. Matt Teplansky only played the first set, but still was tops offensively for the Hawks, recording six kills on 14 attempts (.429), while adding an assist, a block and a dig.
 
SUNY New Paltz has a full week off until getting back on the court March 22, hosting UVC rival Vassar College in the Hawk Center. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Elmira Post-Game Featuring John Ronan


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