New Paltz NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz won its match against Arcadia University in the Alumni Gymnasium Thursday  winning a five game set (19-25, 15-25, 28-26, 25-19, 15-10)
 
The Hawks (9-7 overall) looked to start a new winning streak Thursday against the Knights and got out to a 1-0 lead on service error. Graham Labeck tallied a kill with an assist from Matt Maruza, which tied the game at three. SUNY New Paltz had a 15-11 lead, but Arcadia came back and went out to a 14-5 run. The Hawks dropped the first set 19-25. SUNY New Paltz were down 5-0 when coach Radu Petrus called a timeout. The Hawks were outmatched as they only tallied five kills, no aces, and a .000 hitting average. The set continued to be one to forget as the Hawks dropped it 15-25.
 
SUNY New Paltz fared better to start the third set as it got out to a 1-0 lead on a kill from Pat Wing with an assist from Maruza. The Hawks were down 8-4, but pushed through and tied the set at eight. Things got shaky when Arcadia evened the score at 19, but another kill from Wing with an assist from Maruza gave the Hawks a  20-19 lead. A kill from AJ Fitzgerald with another assist from Maruza pushed SUNY New Paltz to match point at 24-23. The Knights continued to battle, as the game went into extra points. An attack error from the hosts allowed the Hawks to get another match point at 27-26, when Wing tallied a kill off an assist from Maruza to secure the set win, 28-26 and extend the match.
 
The fourth set was the turning point for SUNY New Paltz, as the only time it did not lead was on the opening kill. On point leading by 19-10, Krish Jain tallied two kills—  both coming off assists from Maruza. Jain had the set-ending point as the Hawks won the fourth, 25-19 which brought the match into a fifth set. The final period started just like the previous one. The Hawks were down 1-0, but from then on took charge, and led the rest of the way. Two blocks from Jain gave the SUNY New Paltz its 14th and game-ending 15th point as the Hawks won 15-10.
 
Wing highlighted the offense for the Hawks, totaling 26 kills with a .431 hitting percentage and seven digs. The 26 kills was not only a career-high for the fifth-year senior and two-time All-American, but also third-most ever in a five-set match in program history — the most for any Hawk since 2010. Teddy Teraszkiewicz finished with six digs, while AJ Fitzgerald tallied seven kills and Christopher Larkin finished with seven digs.
 
SUNY New Paltz continues on the road Saturday in the Elms Tri-Match when it faces N0. 20 Lasell University at 1 p.m. and Elms College at 3 p.m.


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