POUGHKEEPSIE, NY - The #9 Vassar College Men's Volleyball team clinched at least a share of the regular season title on Wednesday evening as the Brewers earned a 25-17, 25-17, 20-25, 25-20 against #16 New Paltz at Kenyon Hall. Vassar's record improves to 20-6 overall and 6-1 in UVC play while the Hawks drop to 16-11 on the season and 1-4 in conference action.

FIRST SET

• Kills from Christopher Larkin and Michael Spiegel gave the Hawks a 5-3 lead before Vassar took its first lead after an ace from senior Vaughn Ramsey and two winners from junior Payne Lounsbery put the Brewers ahead 8-7.
• New Paltz evened the score at nine on a winner from Krish Jain until the Brewers used an ace from senior Colin Jones, block from junior Gavin Akoto and a winner from senior AJ Erickson to force a NP timeout at 13-10.
• Vassar tallied four straight points, led by kills from Ramsey and Lounsbery to go ahead 19-12.
• A double block from Jain and AJ Fitzgerald trimmed the lead to 21-16 but Vassar countered with the final three points, capped by a solo block from Ramsey to take the opening set.

SECOND SET

• Vassar took the first seven points of the second set as Jones and senior Jacob Kim tallied solo blocks along with a double block from Lounsbery and Jones.
• A kill from Fitzgerald and an ace from Matt Teplansky cut the lead to 12-6 before Vassar pushed the lead to 16-8 following winners from Fan and Ramsey to force another New Paltz timeout.
• The lead expanded to 20-10 following kills from senior Andrew Guaragno and Jones along with an ace from sophomore Casey McMenamin.
• The Brewers cruised to a second set victory following an ace from first year Walter Birnbaum and a kill from junior Tobias Clark.

THIRD SET

• Vassar began the set with a 6-3 lead after two kills each from Kim and Fan before New Paltz evened it at six following a Teplansky ace and a winner from Larkin.
• After Ramsey's kill tied it at nine, New Paltz scored three straight points, including a kill each from Jain and Teplansky to force a Vassar timeout at 12-9.
• Two winners from Fitzgerald and a kill each from Jain, Larkin and Mike Handell expanded the New Paltz lead to 18-12.
• Vassar drew within 22-18 following an ace from Ramsey and a kill from Guaragno to force a NP timeout.
• New Paltz clinched the set after back-to-back winners from Teplansky.

FOURTH SET

• Both teams traded points early as Vassar took a 10-8 lead following a kill from Kim.
• The Brewers lead grew to 15-12 after a kill each from Kim and Ramsey as the Hawks called timeout after consecutive errors.
• Vassar used kills from Jones and Guaragno to push the lead to 19-15 before New Paltz cut it to 20-18 on a kill from Geoff Ndoria.
• Guaragno and Ramsey each buried winners in the final points to clinch the four-set victory.

FOR THE BREWERS

• Ramsey tallied a team-high 12 kills while adding two aces and four digs along with Kim recording 11 kills, a team-best 25 assists, two blocks and eight digs.
• Jones finished with nine winners, three blocks and four digs while Guaragno buried seven kills.
• Fan chipped in five kills, two aces and seven digs and Lounsbery added three winners and six digs.
• Erickson handed out 22 assists and tallied six digs while first year Tucker Shearn lifted a match-high 10 digs.

FOR THE HAWKS

• Fitzgerald and Teplansky each buried nine kills while Fitzgerald added five digs and Teplansky lifted seven.
• Larkin finished with seven kills, two aces and two blocks along with Jain tallying five winners and two blocks.
• Matt Marusza handed out a match-high 27 assists along with Daniel Shanley recording 13 assists.
• Teddy Teraszkewicz lifted a team-high nine digs for New Paltz.

UP NEXT

• Vassar closes the regular season with a tri-match against #10 Springfield and Hunter on Saturday at Kenyon Hall, beginning at 1:00 p.m. with senior day festivities occurring before the 5:00 p.m. match with Hunter.
• New Paltz plays host to Nazareth in UVC action on Friday night.