New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz hosted its second tri-match of the season Saturday in the Hawk Center and came away with a 3-0 sweep of SUNY Poly (25-14, 25-14, 25-22) and a five-set victory over Hunter (21-25, 25-20, 15-25, 25-19, 15-11).
 
The Hawks improved to 9-6 on the year, winning three in a row after Friday night's victory over No. 19 Benedictine which ended what was a two-game losing skid.
 
"Our season hasn't started the way we expected or as we would like, but we knew going into the Benedictine game on Friday that it would set the tone for the weekend," said SUNY New Paltz senior opposite Pat Wing. "Once we took them down, it was a big win and our youngers stepped up big time and took care of business no problem. We came into today and handled business again and we just plan on doing that — playing together and playing as a unit and I think we will be an excellent team."
 
Against the Wildcats, Hawks coach Radu Petrus gave an opportunity for some of his young guys who haven't seen much of the court yet this season shine in a trouncing of Poly. The hosts never trailed through the first two sets of the three-set match and dominated in virtually every category including: hitting (.343-.086), points (44-27), kills (30-24), aces (10-2), blocks (4-1) and assists (25-22).
 
SUNY New Paltz held set point in the first period at 24-12 following an ace by Adam Brawn. A kill by freshman Geoff Ndoria sealed the victory two points later off an assist by freshman Patrick Soulias. Similarly, the Hawks got out to a convincing lead in set two and held set point at 24-13 following a hitting error by the Wildcats with Brawn helping his team to a 2-0 lead after finishing on a swing off an assist by Soulias.
 
 
SUNY New Paltz trailed for the first time in the match early in the third, as it saw a four-point deficit at 7-3. After trading points, the Hawks tied the match at 8-all with Brawn serving through the stretch, as Krish Jain became the benefactor with back-to-back kills. The set went back-and-forth until the Hawks went on a 6-0 run led by Brawn who once again served through the stretch and registered an ace in the run to help SUNY New Paltz to a 19-15 lead. The Hawks stayed in front from there, and although Poly made the set interesting getting within one at 23-22, SUNY New Paltz closed out the match with consecutive points finished with a hard swing form Matt Kudlinski to solidify the win.
 
The offense was spread around for the Hawks. Kudlinski registered a game- and career-high 10.5 points after totaling six kills, four aces, a block and three digs. Ndoria followed with nine points on seven kills, two aces and five digs. Jain and Teplansky each had seven kills apiece with Teplansky chipping in with an ace, a block and a dig. Soulias finished with 19 assists.
 
SUNY New Paltz closed out the day against the visiting Hawks from Hunter. The two teams met early in the season at the Clash Kean Tournament Feb. 3 with SUNY New Paltz earning a four-set win.
 
On Saturday, Hunter had the upper hand as it got out to a 1-0 lead after earning set point at 24-21 before closing out on the following point with a kill. SUNY New Paltz came back to win set two, as it rolled to a 21-14 lead following an attacking error. Pat Wing helped his team to set point, as he smashed a kill off an assist from Daniel Shanley to conclude a long rally. Two points later, Shanley tied the match at a set apiece after hitting a free ball for a kill.
 
 
The hosting Hawks struggled in the third set, hitting just .136 in the period with Hunter getting to set point early at 24-15 and ended the quick set with an ace on the following point.  

The game swung in the fourth set. The two teams went back and forth to start with the hosting Hawks taking a 9-8 lead following a big block on the right side by Wing and Krish Jain. Shanley then found the open floor on the next point to extend the hosts lead to 10-8 leading to a Hunter timeout. Jain again came up big at the net, forcing the ball back onto the other side on a team, which led to a hitting error that extended the lead to 11-8. A service error ended the run and allowed Hunter to side out, but the visitors gave the ball right back after serving long.
 
Hunter came back to tie at 15-all on an ace that found just inside the end line, but SUNY New Paltz quickly sided out on the next point to regain control. Graham Labeck served hard, leading to a kill on the outside by Matt Teplansky to push the score to 17-15.
Jain registered a kill, then was in on back-to-back blocks before forcing an attacking error on a tip at the net that got the score to 23-17. The Hawks earned set point at 24-19 after Hunter served long and then earned the fourth set victory on the next point following a hard serve by Shanley leading to a kill by Labeck.
 
"I think we just all kind of looked at each other and knew we were the better team physically, but mentally we were not there so it was just mental. Nothing physical. So, I think we all just looked at each other and said that we had no choice but to win this game," Wing said. "We have to go to five sets and we just played together, played sound. There were a couple switches, couple substitutes. When they came in they did their part and everyone did their part, made good serves, passed good balls and put balls away. Everyone played their role which was really good."
 
Jain and Wing started the fifth with a big block on the right side to give the Hawks the initial lead. They then came back for another block to extend the lead and ignite the home crowd. Shanley dumped the ball over and found the weak spot on the outside of the floor before Wing rose up and smashed another kill to push the score to 4-0, resulting in a Hunter timeout.
 
SUNY New Paltz held an 8-3 lead at the switch following a hitting error. Hunter rallied to get within five at 10-5, but Matthew Marusza went back to Labeck on the outside with the freshman beating the block to extend the score to 11-6.
 
The hosts held match point at 14-7 but Hunter rallied to get within 14-10 forcing Petrus into a timeout. SUNY New Paltz came through to finish the final point on an attacking error.
 
The hosting Hawks set a season-high in blocks, registering 20 block assists to go along with a solo block with Jain the catalyst as he totaled nine. Wing followed with four to go along with his team-leading 17 kills, as he hit a productive .394, while adding seven digs.
 
"That is very important and that is going to be very important for us against better teams especially because we are a poor blocking team," Wing said. "We usually don't get a lot of blocks at all. It's definitely our weakest aspect of the game, so to see us come out here today and block and have confidence on the other side of the net, feels good."
 
Shanley followed offensively, tallying eight kills, 13 assists, one block and nine digs. Jain added four kills, an ace and four digs, while Christopher Larkin chipped in with five kills, one ace, two blocks and 10 digs.
 
SUNY New Paltz hopes to extend its winning streak next week with two big road matchups against No. 2 nationally ranked Stevens Tuesday and Arcadia University Thursday.

Post-Game Featuring Pat Wing


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