Cambridge, MA — The Hawks had a Saturday.

Going on the road for a tri-match hosted by United Volleyball Conference rival MIT, the State University of New York New Paltz collected a pair of victories to stay undefeated in conference play, while notching its second win over a top 20 team of the year.
 
The Hawks (10-9 overall, 3-0 UVC), who improved above .500 for the first time this season, started the afternoon with a 3-0 sweep over the hosting Engineers (25-21, 25-19, 25-16), before taking a five-set victory over the No. 10 Leopards (25-21, 16-25, 22-25, 25-21, 15-11).
 
SUNY New Paltz was efficient offensively against MIT, hitting .425 on the match with the Hawks dominating in points (53-39), kills (40-29) and assists (38-26), as well as blocks (8-4) and digs (29-19). Geoff Ndoria and Michael Spiegel led the team offensively with 10 kills apiece, while combining for two aces, three blocks and 11 digs. Nikko Tenedorio and Krish Jain each had 10 points with Tenedorio adding nine kills, two assists, two blocks and three digs, while Jain finished with five kills, one ace, seven blocks and two digs.
 
An attacking error with the Hawks out of rotation allowed MIT to get within one at 21-20 in the first. SUNY New Paltz answered with three-straight points thanks to Ndoria who allowed his team to side-out on a kill before serving for ace on the next point. Spiegel gave the Hawks set point, finishing on a swing from the right side off an assist by Max DeBonis. Jain then solidified the win two points later, finishing off a set by Matt Marusza with a kill.
 
SUNY New Paltz never trailed in the second and held a comfortable, 21-13 lead over the Engineers following a setting error. Ndoria brought the team to set point on a kill off an assist by Daniel Shanley with MIT giving the Hawks the win on a service error.  
The momentum carried over into the final set, as a Tenedorio kill pushed SUNY New Paltz's lead to 23-11. Tenedorio eventually got his team to match point at 24-14 with Matt Kudlinski sealing the win with a game-winning swing off a set by Marusza to help the Hawks claim the third, 25-16.
 
SUNY New Paltz played tough against No. 10 Wentworth as both teams were evenly matched. The Hawks held the edge in points (73-70.5), kills (56-54), blocks (13-10), assists (52-50) and digs (40-36), but it was their play at the net that proved the difference. Jain again was the catalyst, registering another seven blocks to go along with 11 kills, an ace, two digs for 16 points. Spiegel finished with a game-high 15 kills, while adding four blocks and nine digs for a team-high 17 points. Peter Brutschin was also big in the middle, recording five blocks, while Tenedorio added 11 kills, three assists, five blocks and dig for 14 points.
 
SUNY New Paltz went up big to start the match, holding a 20-11 lead after a Spiegel kill. A double block by Ndoria and Jain pushed the set to 24-18 with the Hawks closing out on a serving error to hold a 1-0 advantage.
 
Wentworth took a 2-1 lead after winning the second, 25-16 and the third, 25-22. SUNY New Paltz answered with a huge fourth set, holding a comfortable 23-15 lead following a solo block by Tenedorio. The Leopards got the period closer following a 5-0 run but served out to end the stretch and pushed the Hawks to set point. Spiegel then closed out, swinging for a match-tying kill off an assist by Marusza to extend the game to a decided fifth set.
 
The final stanza was tight. Shanley broke a 1-1 stalemate to start with a kill before serving on the next point where Jain and Spiegel tallied a block to push the Hawks up by two. The two teams traded points until the set was tied at 7-all, but Shanley brought his team a one-point advantage at the switch. A serving error allowed the Leopards to side-out, which helped them to their first lead since the opening points at 9-8 following a kill. Wentworth returned the favor with a serving error of its own and SUNY New Paltz took advantage, going on a 5-0 run.
 
Shanley served through the stretch and the Hawks' front row took over. Jain and Tenedorio gave SUNY New Paltz the initial lead at 10-9 before Jain and Spiegel got their hands on another block to add onto the cushion. Following a hitting error, Tenedorio capped the stretch with a kill, pushing the advantage to 13-9. Two-straight points for the Leopards was stalled by a serving error that brought SUNY New Paltz match point. Jain served the final ball in, and the Hawks sealed their win following a hitting error by Wentworth, 15-11.
 
Marusza facilitated the offense, tallying a game-high 44 assists, while adding a kill, an ace and eight digs. Ndoria chipped in offensively with eight kills on 11 attempts (.636) with an ace, a block and four digs.
 
SUNY New Paltz is back on the court next Wednesday and Friday in the Hawk Center, taking on NYU and Arcadia, respectively.
 

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