New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz split its two matches Saturday against visiting Baruch College and No. 5 Juniata to conclude its 2025 regular season at 13-13 overall.
 
The Hawks opened the day with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-18) sweep of the Bearcats in Elting Gym before falling to the Eagles in five sets (20-25, 25-23, 25-19, 19-25, 13-15) in the Hawk Center.
 
In its first match of the day, SUNY New Paltz faced a three-point deficit resulting in a timeout for coach Radu Petrus. The Hawks responded with five-straight points leading to a Baruch timeout with the first set tied at 15 following an ace by Matt Teplansky. Teplansky continued to serve hard leading to a big block by Peter Brutschin and Nikko Tenedorio in the middle off a poor pass from the Bearcats' serve receive, but the visitors sided out on the next point on a back set to the right side to tie the period at 16-all.
 
Baruch answered two straight points by the Hawks with a kill to get within one, but SUNY New Paltz answered with a 5-0 stretch highlighted with a double block by Teplansky and Jain that ricocheted off the chest of a Bearcat for a SUNY New Paltz point, leading to a timeout by the opposition. The stoppage of play didn't deter the Hawks, scoring two more before Brutschin's serving run ended as he hit the net to give the ball back to Baruch at 23-18. A Daniel Shanley kill brought the set to match point at 24-21 and SUNY New Paltz claimed the first a point later on a serving error.
 
The Hawks climbed out from a 17-14 deficit and tied the second set at 19 but finally re-took the lead at 21-20 after a hitting error by the Bearcats. The stanza was tied at 22 and then 23-all after SUNY New Paltz handed Baruch a point after getting caught out of rotation. However, they locked in and earned set point on the next play, thanks to a dump by Marusza catching the Bearcats on their heels. Geoff Ndoria then sealed the win with a two-handed set to an open spot on the floor to register a kill and bring SUNY New Paltz lead to 2-0.
 
 
The Hawks were up big in the third, taking their largest lead at 21-13 following back-to-back kills by Tenedorio from Marusza, but Baruch worked its way back to get within four at 22-18 before a kill by Michael Spiegel got SUNY New Paltz back on track. He served the next point and Marusza registered the solo block to force match point. Teneodorio and Tristan Rezza then sealed the win with another block.  
Tenedorio led the team with 10 kills on 14 attempts, while adding four blocks and seven digs. Jain followed with six kills and five blocks, while Spiegel added seven kills, an ace, a block and a dig. Marusza facilitated the offense, tallying 34 assists with an ace, three blocks, a kill and a dig.
 
SUNY New Paltz took on No. 5 Juniata in Game 2 of the afternoon, moving into the Hawk Center for its regular season finale. The Hawks celebrated their two lone seniors in Carter Lotz and Christopher Larkin who both earned the start. Larkin sent a left-handed serve in the first set, while Lotz chipped in with two kills and a dig.
 
The Hawks dropped the first set by five but rebounded in the second to tie the match. The Eagles were up 22-19 in the second, but Ndoria helped his team side-out as he finished on a swing off an assist by Marusza. Marusza then served through three more points, leading to consecutive blocks with Spiegel capping the stretch with a kill to tie the period at 22. Ndoria registered a kill to answer one from Juniata to give his team back serve. The ball was in his hands on the following point, and he served for ace before an attacking error solidified the 25-23 win for the Hawks.
 
SUNY New Paltz took a 2-1 lead after earning a 25-19 win in the third. The set was tied at 18 before a 5-0 run allowed the hosts to take control. Ndoria was the catalyst in the stretch serving through the run and forcing three-straight attacking errors thanks to blocks by Jain, Spiegel and Tenedorio. Spiegel capped the stanza with a kill off an assist by Marusza. The two teams then traded servers into the net before Spiegel ended the third on a kill.
 
The Eagles forced a fifth set after coming back to win the fourth, 25-19 holding a lead as large as six late in the period.
 
It was an electric fifth set with plenty of dramatics sprinkled in as both teams had issues with calls by officials. Tenedorio was hit with a red card to give the Eagles an 8-5 lead at the switch with the Hawks not pleased with a no call at the net.
 
Juniata served into the net at the re-start and Spiegel helped his team within one as he got up for a solo block on the right side, denying Juniata's Tyler Phillips. The two teams traded points before the Eagles took an 11-8 lead on two straight points. Jain helped his team side-out on a kill off a set by Shanley. Shanley then added onto the run, going up for a block before Ndoria tied the set at 11 with a kill off an assist by Shanley. An ace capped the stretch to give the Hawks their first lead since the opening points.
 
The Eagles answered though, scoring three straight to hold match point after an ace fell on the open floor with the Hawks thinking it was landing out. Ndoria gave SUNY New Paltz life swinging for a kill, but the Eagles answered following a rally on a kill to clinch the win.
 
Spiegel led the team offensively with 14 points on 10 kills, six blocks and nine digs. Tenedorio followed with nine kills, five blocks and seven digs. Jain posted a game-high nine blocks with four kills, while Ndoria added nine kills, an ace, a block and three digs. Marusza totaled 34 assists, a game-high four aces, two blocks and five digs.
 
SUNY New Paltz had its most dominant game it has had all season at the net, totaling a season-high 21 blocks, compared to just nine for Juniata who hit .217 in the game.
 
The Hawks concludes the regular season with sights set on a playoff run, which starts Friday at NYU against fourth seeded St. John Fisher in the United Volleyball Conference Tournament.
 

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