SUNY New Paltz Sweeps By Men’s Volleyball, 3-0

Box Score

NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – Elms College junior opposite hitter Yonalvy Acosta (Holyoke, Mass.) downed a team-high 11 kills but SUNY New Paltz's Brian Smith (Massapequa, N.Y.) recorded a match-high 13 kills to help lift the Hawks to a 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-15) sweep of the Blazers in Saturday's SUNY New Paltz men's volleyball tournament contest.

With the loss, Elms falls to 1-5 overall, while New Paltz improves to 3-2 on the season.

Trailing 22-18 in the opening frame, Acosta terminated a set from freshman Kevin Welsh (Wilbraham, Mass.) that sparked a 5-1 run. Junior outside hitter Michael Martin (Enfield, Conn.) smashed two kills and freshman middle hitter Bryson Rainey (Brookline, Mass.) added a solo block to highlight the stretch and pull the Blazers to within one at 23-22. From there, Brian O'Connor (Guilderland, N.Y.) and Dylan Rabidoux (Rochester, N.Y.) tallied a kill each to seal a 25-22 win and take a 1-0 lead in the contest.

Trailing 22-14 in the second stanza, Elms used a 4-0 run capped by a kill from freshman libero Daniel Lebron (San Juan, Puerto Rico) to cut the Blazers' deficit to 22-18, but the Hawks closed out the frame with three straight points to establish a comfortable 2-0 advantage in the match.

In the third frame, New Paltz again held a 22-14 lead and Rainey smashed a kill to set the score at 22-15, but that's as close as Elms would get as the Hawks used a Blazers' attacking error, a solo block by Victor Tuminelli (Dix Hills, N.Y.) and an assisted block by Rabidoux and Smith to seal the sweep.

Rainey finished with nine kills, while Welsh delivered 25 assists to help pace the Blazers' offense in the loss.

For his efforts during the two-day event, Cameron was named to the all-tournament team.

Lebron and sophomore outside hitter Stephen Cameron (Newington, Conn.) totaled a team-best nine digs each, while Acosta and sophomore middle hitter Wilfrido Fermin (Bronx, N.Y.) added two assisted blocks each.

New Paltz was led offensively by Smith (13 kills) and Tuminelli (10 kills), while Jonathan Van Dyke (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) chipped in with nine kills.

Misa Giro (Bronx, N.Y.) dished out 38 assists to pace the Hawks' offense which hit an impressive .355 for the match, while Van Dyke led New Paltz at the net with four solo blocks.

Elms returns to action on Thursday, Jan. 27 when it travels to Regis College for a 6:00 p.m. contest.