New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz hosted No. 6 Stevens Ducks in its home opener Wednesday night in the Hawk Center and fell, 3-0 ().
 
The Hawks (3-2 overall) rallied in all three sets but couldn't close out resulting in their first 3-0 loss of the season. The Ducks (4-0) hit slightly better in the match, swinging for a .298 percent clip while SUNY New Paltz hit .223. The two teams were fairly even throughout the match, as the visitors held the edge in kills (41-38), while the Hawks had more aces (6-4), blocks (5-4) and digs (43-42) with each team totaling 49 points and 36 assists.
 
Stevens got out to a comfortable lead to start the first, going up 14-5 following a kill from Tyler Hoke. A six-point run, served through by SUNY New Paltz senior opposite Matt Teplansky got the hosts within two as Peter Brutschin capped the stretch with a kill off an assist from Daniel Shanley to trim the deficit, 18-16. A kill allowed the Ducks to side out on the following point, and they held off SUNY New Paltz from there, earning set point following another kill by Hoke at 24-20 and then earning the victory two points later on a kill from Julius Stiemer.
 
The Hawks trailed for most of set two and after Stevens earned set point at 24-20, they worked back with a three-point run thanks to serving specialist Matt Kudlinski who served back-to-back points, earning an ace after the Ducks were caught out of rotation to get his team within one at 24-23. SUNY New Paltz couldn't cap the rally, however, as the visitors tallied the next point on a swing for a kill to close out the second set and take a 2-0 lead.
 
 
The third once again favored the Ducks, but the Hawks came back from five points down at 21-16 to take the lead at 23-22 following a four-point run. Artair Kayser helped SUNY New Paltz win back serve on a big swing in the middle. Nikko Tenedorio then served the next three points and forced two-straight attacking errors by the visitors with Goeff Ndoria helping out, getting up for a big solo block at 22-21. Michael Spiegel then gave the Hawks the lead as he registered a kill from the right side off a set from Shanley. However, a service error allowed Stevens to side out before earning match point with a kill at 24-23. Spiegel tied the score with another kill, but the Ducks closed out with a kill on a long rally before acing on match point to earn the 3-0 victory.
 
Tenedorio led SUNY New Paltz offensively with 11 kills on 25 attempts, hitting .320 with an assist and six digs. Ndoria followed wwith seven kills, whiel adding two blocks and three digs. Spiegel registered eight kills on 15 attempts, hitting an efficient .400 in just two sets played, as he finished with 8.5 points. Shanley had a team-high 35 points with a game-high three aces and seven digs.
 
The Hawks are back in action Saturday, going to Boston to face Endicott College and Wenworth Institute of Technology for a tri-match at 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively.
 
 
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