POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (April 25, 2017) – The NCAA Tournament will continue on Friday at Springfield's Blake Arena with a series of incredibly competitive games.  The Vassar College men's volleyball team will punctuate the event in a UVC matchup against the tenacious New Paltz Hawks.
 
Game Details
Opponent: New Paltz
Site: Springfield, MA
Facility: Blake Arena
Date: April 28, 2017
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Live Coverage: (Live Stats) (Live Video)
 
Last Time Out:  Vassar's last matchup was against non-other but the New Paltz Hawks in battle for the UVC Championship title.  While losing 1-3, the games were extremely competitive, stretching to scores of 34-32, 25-22, 24-26, and 25-18.  The loss snapped the Brewer's 14-match winning streak, a footing they will hope to regain on Friday night at Springfield in the biggest game of both team's seasons: the NCAA Division III Championship, Quarterfinals. 
 
History Versus New Paltz: The Brewers have played the Hawks twice this past season, drawing an even 1-1 record.  In the first matchup, Vassar came from a 0-2 deficit to emerge victorious on the Hawks' Senior Day.  The win came from strategic Brewer offense, forcing the Hawks to make many defensive errors.  In the second meeting, for the UVC championship title, an outstanding offensive performance by Hawks junior Anthony Bonilla and excellent team stamina gave New Paltz the edge for an eventual 3-1 win.
 
 
A Look at the Brewers (26-7,  8-0 UVC):
           
The Brewers have embarked on a historic season, breaking school records in consecutive wins (14), climbing to the No. 2 ranking in the AVCA Top 15 poll, and earning the first program entrance into the NCAA Tournament.  As a team, they lead the conference in blocks.  The Brewers have found this success in having a deep roster this season, as a myriad of players have played large parts in Vassar's sweeping success. 
 
Junior All-Americans are All In

• The AVCA All-American committee honored Junior Matthew Knigge's athleticism again, receiving a First Team selection for the second time. Ranked eighth in the nation in hitting (.427) and reigning in a 2.88 kills per set, Knigge is a force on the offensive end.  He demonstrates his defensive prowess with his No. 1 national ranking in blocks per set (1.38). Already named as the UVC and ECAC Player of the Year, the junior will be one to watch on Friday.
• Junior setter Zachariah Lee garnered a Second Team accolade for his dynamic play and leadership on the court.  Lee dished out 9.27 assists per set, while helping the Brewers hit .242 as a team this year. He also broke the school record for service aces this season, and also added 1.49 digs per set and 0.97 blocks per game.  Lee is two kills away from 100 in a season, a feat that could be accomplished in this Friday's matchup.

 
Senior Strength

• Captain libero Trey Cimorelli collected a ECAC Honor for Defensive Player of the Year and nabbed his second UVC Libero of the Year.  Leading the team in digs and ranked fourth in UVC in digs per game (2.49), posting an astounding 311 this season.  He has maintained a .949 reception percentage.  Cimorelli was a problem for the Hawks in their last matchup with his savvy defensive skillset.
• Senior captain and outside hitter Christian Lizana earned a UV Second Team nod for his excellent court vision, finishing out the regular season second-best on the team in kills per set (2.35) and with the least amount of errors on the team.  His leadership and skill will be a major part of Vassar's arsenal on Friday.

                                  
History Versus New Paltz

• The Brewers have played the Hawks twice this past season, drawing an even 1-1 record.  In the first matchup, Vassar came from a 0-2 deficit to emerge victorious on the Hawks' Senior Day.  The win came from strategic Brewer offense, forcing the Hawks to make many defensive errors.  In the second meeting, for the UVC championship title, an outstanding offensive performance by Hawks junior Anthony Bonilla and excellent team stamina gave New Paltz the edge for an eventual 3-1 win.

 
 
A Look at the Hawks (25-8, 5-3 UVC):
 
The Hawks, with three hard losses in the UVC, has a record that does not reflect the quality of play that has been a constant presence in their season.  Armed with a relentless offensive line, the Hawks will look to use their savvy ball handling to earn the NCAA First Round win.  New Paltz as a team leads the conference in assists, kills, and aces.  This proved to be key in their win over Kean in the first round of the NCAA championship. 
 
Senior Coming Out Swinging

• Senior capain and middle blocker Steven Woessner was announced as a AVCA First Team All-American for his unstoppable energy on the court.  He averages 2.07 kills per set and .58 service aces, a statistic that places him at No. 1 in the conference.  Woessner also leads the team with .71 blocks per set.  An obvious difference maker, Woessner was not present in the Brewer's early season win over the Hawks, but appeared in the UVC matchup and performed at his usual high level.  The Brewers will have to reconfigure strategies to look how to slow down the senior.
• Senior middle blocker Jake Roessler has been dynamic for the Hawks, pacing the win over Vassar with 22 kills in the UVC final.  He has been consistent with offering solid numbers in digs and blocks as well, making him a player to watch.

 
Balling Bonilla

• Junior outside hitter Anthony Bonilla was named Second Team All-UVC for his commanding role on the Hawks squad, leading in kills per set (3.16) and second in aces per set (.43) and digs per set (1.29).  He sits at No. 4 in the conference for kills, a statistic that will turn many eyes on him on Friday.

 
Freshman Force

• Freshman Matthew Grace has been a vital cog in the Hawks' play, confidently leading the team and the conference in assists with 1152.  His ability to read the ball and his teammates will prove to create a difficult hurtle for the Brewers.
• Freshman libero Robert Nolan will look to power the defensive end for the Hawks, pumping in the sixth most digs in the conference per set (2.08).  He was especially vital during UVC matches like Vassar and MIT, where he contributed his best numbers of the season in assists and digs.

 
Up Next:  The winner of this competitive game will face the winner of the Wentworth versus Juniata matchup, which will take place on Saturday, April 29 at 6:30 p.m.