New Paltz, NY - The #9 Vassar College Men's Volleyball team battled in a five-set thriller on the road on Wednesday evening as the Brewers dropped a 25-21, 20-25, 24-26, 25-21, 12-15 decision to #19 New Paltz in conference action. The Brewers fall to 18-3 overall and 4-2 in UVC play while the Hawks improve to 12-12 on the season and 4-3 in conference matches.

First Set

• Following a 5-5 tie to begin the first set, Vassar scored four straight points behind an ace from senior Gavin Akoto and a kill each from senior Tobias Clark and first year Henry Bonney.
• The lead grew to 13-7 following back-to-back kills from senior Payne Lounsbery before New Paltz battled back to within 16-13 after two kills from Nikko Tenedorio.
• New Paltz cut the lead to 19-18 on a block from Krish Jain and Michael Spiegel until VC recorded a kill from senior Billy Fan and an ace from Clark to push the lead to 22-19.
• VC scored the first set victory on a winner each from Fan and Bonney along with a block from Akoto and Fan.

Second Set

• The Hawks took a 7-4 lead to open the second set on three kills and an ace from Tenedorio and a winner from Jain.
• VC rattled off five straight points, led by two kills from Bonney and one from sophomore Armaan Desai, to go ahead 9-7.
• New Paltz pulled back in front at 15-12 after a block from Mike Handell and Matt Teplansky until VC battled to get within 16-15 following a Fan kill.
• The Hawks advantage expanded to 22-18 on back-to-back kills from Daniel Shanley and Tenedorio and an ace from Tenedorio.
• New Paltz earned the second set win on set-clinching kills from Shanley and Handell.

Third Set

• Both teams traded points in the early going as Vassar pulled ahead 8-6 on a kills from Akoto and Birnbaum along with a solo block from Birnbaum.
• The lead grew to 16-12 on an ace from junior James Zuckerman and a block from Fan and Akoto.
• New Paltz drew even at 18 on a kill from Shanley, a block from Jain and Matt Marusza and an ace from Peter Brutschin.
• Vassar regained a lead at 22-19 behind a kill from Desai and block from Zuckerman, Desai and Lounsbery.
• Consecutive kills from Tenedorio tied the set at 22 all before VC got to set point on a block from Zuckerman and Akoto.
• NP scored the final four points of the set as Tenedorio buried a kill and Tenedorio and Brutschin each scored solo blocks.

Fourth Set

• Vassar scored an early 4-1 lead, led by a Lounsbery kill, before New Paltz evened the set at four on a block from Tenedorio and Jain.
• Neither team could pull away until the Hawks gained a 12-10 advantage on a block from Jain and Teplansky.
• VC pulled ahead 13-12 after a kill and an ace from sophomore Walter Birnbaum and a solo block from Desai.
• New Paltz went back ahead on another Tenedorio kill at 15-13 before the Brewers answered with a kill from Bonney, an Akoto ace and a block from Bonney and Desai to go ahead 20-18.
• The Hawks would trim the advantage to 22-20 but a kill from Lounsbery sent the match to the deciding fifth set.

Fifth Set

• New Paltz gained the first lead at 6-4 on a block from Brutschin and Shanley.
• Vassar battled back to earn a 10-8 lead on kills from Zuckerman and Birnbaum along with an ace from sophomore Parker Schoenl and a block from Birnbaum and Desai.
• The Hawks regained the lead at 13-11 on three straight kills from Tenedorio and winner from Shanley.
• NP clinched the match victory after a block from Brutschin and Teplansky and the winning kill from Tenedorio.

For The Brewers

• Bonney buried a team-high 12 kills (.706) and two blocks while Akoto tallied 10 kills, three aces and three blocks.
• Lounsbery recorded nine kills, 18 assists and seven digs while Fan finished with eight kills, two blocks and eight digs.
• Desai added eight kills and seven blocks (two solo) along with Birnbaum chipping in six kills, three aces, three blocks and three digs.
• Senior Nick Villamil handed out a team-high 19 assists while Schoenl registered 10 assists and an ace.
• Sophomore Tucker Shearn lifted a career-high 17 digs.

For The Hawks

• Tenedorio garnered a match-high 23 kills, two aces, three blocks and 11 digs while Shanley added 14 kills and 10 digs.
• Jain added five kills and nine blocks while Teplansky chipped in four winners, three blocks and eight digs.
• Marusza registered a match-high 42 assists, four blocks and 14 digs.

Up Next

• Vassar heads to Hoboken on Saturday for a tri-match with King's (PA) and #4 Stevens beginning at 3:00 p.m.
• New Paltz is off until April 5 for the regular season finale at home against Baruch and Juniata.