The State University of New York New Paltz continued its west coast season opening trip Friday, taking on No. 8 nationally ranked Carthage College on the campus of UC Santa Cruz.
The Hawks lost in four sets, 25-21, 22-25, 20-25,26-28 to fall to 0-2 overall on the year.
SUNY New Paltz earned the win in set one, taking a one-point lead at 18-17 following a 3-0 run started by a solo block by Mike Handell, which was followed with a Geoff Ndoria kill on a set by Matt Marusza. An attacking error capped the stretch to push the Hawks ahead for the first time since the opening point of the set.
The period was tied at 18, and 19-all with the Firebirds grabbing a 20-19 lead following an attacking error, but SUNY New Paltz responded with three-straight points led by a pair of kills from Nikko Tenedorio. A block by Carthage allowed it to side-out, but the Hawks closed out on the victory with three consecutive points, which was helped by a service error that was followed by a kill from Matt Teplansky and a set-sealing ace by Tenedorio.
Tenedorio brought SUNY New Paltz’s lead to 16-14 with a kill in set two. Carthage scored three straight to re-take control until the Hawks got back up, 20-19 with Krish Jain becoming the catalyst with two kills and a half block. The Firebirds scored six of the next seven points to get to set point. Ndoria allowed his team to side-out, registering a kill to cut the score to 24-22, but Carthage tied the score at a set apiece, recording a kill on the next point.
The third set mirrored the second, as a double block by Ndoria and Peter Brutschin lifted SUNY New Paltz, 17-16. A 5-1 run gave Carthage a 21-18 advantage before the two teams traded service errors to create a 22-19 score that was followed with an attacking error by the Hawks. Jain registered a kill off an assist by Daniel Shanley, but the Firebirds closed out with a 2-1 lead after earning the last two points on a service error and a block off a swing from Tenedorio.
The Hawks climbed back into a match-deciding third set after trailing 14-8 midway through. After Carthage took a 17-10 lead, Tenedorio served through a 5-0 run forcing back-to-back hitting errors, the first on a double block by Teplansky and Jain before the Firebirds hit out on the next play. Teplansky and Christopher Larkin followed with consecutvie kills to cut the score to 17-15.
After trading points, SUNY New Paltz took the lead at 20-19 helped by three attacking errors from Carthage. The Hawks earned a 23-21 advantage with Brutschin starting the run with a kill, followed by another hitting error from the Firebirds and capped on a kill by Tenedorio. Tenedorio pushed his team to set point with another kill, assisted by Shanley at 24-22, but Carthage countered with two straight points to tie the set at 24. Tenedorio sided out and brought his team set point once again with a kill before the two team’s traded service errors. Tenedorio served out at 26-25 to allow the Firebirds to tie the score and finish the match with a block and hitting error to earn the four-set match win.
Tenedorio ended with a career and team-high 16 kills, hitting .256 on the day, while adding a career- and game-high 17 digs to go along with two aces, a block and an assist for a team-leading 18.5 points. Teplansky followed with 10 kills, two blocks and four digs. Jain added nine kills, three blocks and three digs, while Ndoria added seven kills, an ace, two assists, a block and three digs. Marusza finished with a team-leading 28 assists, while adding five digs and an ace.
SUNY New Paltz is back in action Saturday, facing No. 16 Dominican University (ILL) and No. 3 ranked California Lutheran at 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. eastern standard, respectively, back on the campus of UC Santa Cruz.
