New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz earned a four-set win over Arcadia Friday in the Hawk Center (25-22, 26-24, 22-25, 25-18)
 
The No. 18 nationally ranked Hawks improved to 11-10 overall with the victory while the Knights dropped to 7-13 overall.
 
SUNY New Paltz hit .216 to Arcadia's .124 and held the advantage in points (61-53), kills (49-36), assists (46-35) and digs (50-39) with the Knights having more aces (9-7) and blocks (8-5).
 
Arcadia held a 21-17 lead in the first set, but Daniel Shanley sparked a 7-0 run with SUNY New Paltz scoring nine of the next 10 points to win the period, 25-22. A service error allowed the Hawks to side out, handing the ball to Shanley who forced an attacking error on the following point. Shanley then set Michael Spiegel to put an end to a long rally to keep the run alive. Spiegel again came through with a kill, this time off an assist from Matt Marusza before Shanley aced to give his team their first lead since 13-12. Krish Jain capped the unanswered run with a kill off a set by Marusza before helping his team to set point following another kill. Nikko Tenedorio then put an emphatic end to the period, getting up for a big a solo block in the middle.
 
SUNY New Paltz were ahead 19-15 before the Knights fought back to take a 22-19 lead in the second thanks to tough serving by Josh Clenedening who tallied three-straight aces to highlight the stretch. An attacking error ended the run and Matt Teplansky added on for the Hawks with his third kill of the set. Arcadia responded with two straight points thanks to a kill and a block, but Shanley got his team out of the rut once more, as he helped his team side-out with a kill off an assist by Marusza before serving through a five-point run to secure a 26-24 win.
 
 
Following a hitting error, Teplansky finished the next point with a kill. Jain then got up for a huge solo block to bring his team to set point before a hitting error sealed the final point of the stanza in favor of the Hawks.  
Coach Radu Petrus gave the rest of his roster an opportunity to play out the last two sets. After the Knights extended the match to a fourth following a 25-22 win in the third, SUNY New Paltz worked its way to a 22-16 lead in the final period following a kill by Jain.
 
Two errant swings brought the set to 24-17 and after Arcadia got back a point following a kill, Teplansky closed out the victory with a game-sealing kill off a set from Marusza to end any thought of a comeback for the Knights.
 
Teplansky led the Hawks offensively with 11 kills, hitting .280 in three sets played, while adding an assist, a block and four digs. Tenedorio followed with nine kills, adding an ace and 10 digs. Shanley totaled eight kills on 13 attempts to hit .615 in just two sets played, while also registering two assists four aces and eight digs. Jain chipped in with eight digs, an assist, two aces and two blocks. Marusza facilitated the offense, finishing with 38 assists and a team-high 11 digs.   
 
SUNY New Paltz returns to United Volleyball Conference action next week, going to Rochester to play Nazareth and St. John Fisher College March 22 and 23, respectively.


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