ONEONTA, NY – The Elmira College men's volleyball team traveled to Oneonta, NY for a tri-match with the Hawks of Hartwick College and the Highlanders of Houghton University on Saturday afternoon. The Soaring Eagles claimed victory in both matches, 3-0 and 3-1.

MATCH 1 | vs. Hartwick College, 3-0, (25-20, 25-19, 25-13)
The Soaring Eagles got off to a strong start, opening the game with two consecutive kills by Gabriel Staron. The Hawks responded with a three-point scoring run that evened up the score. Staron tallied his third kill, concluding an EC scoring run that saw the Soaring Eagles take a 7-4 advantage. A kill and service ace from Dylan Vargas added to Elmira's momentum and made the score 9-5. Luke Jata scored a pair of kills and a service ace from Nick Rohman fueled a three-point scoring run for EC. Jata added two more kills that was part of a four-point scoring run a bit later that gave EC a 16-9 advantage. A service ace from Erik Ziemblicki added another score to the now eight-point advantage. The Hawks rallied to score six out of seven points, cutting the deficit to 23-20. A kill from Jata helped wrap up the first set, Elmira claiming it 25-20. 
 
Staron picked up his fourth and fifth kill to put Elmira ahead 3-2 early in the second set. A four-point run for the Soaring Eagles, that featured another kill by Staron, helped Elmira move in front 7-3. Vargas followed with a kill that continued pushing momentum in Elmira's favor. A five-point run by the Hawks saw them take all the momentum and the advantage, 11-10. The Soaring Eagles responded three consecutive points that included a kill from Jata and another service ace from Rohman. Back-to-back service aces from Jata capped off five consecutive points for the Soaring Eagles. Drake Connors and Vargas notched a kill each to put Elmira in front 20-15. Two kills from Jata, bringing his total to eight in the match, finished off the second set with the Soaring Eagles taking it 25-19. Staron added two more kills early in the third set as the Soaring Eagles jumped out to a 4-2 advantage. Jata notched another kill of his own to keep Elmira ahead by two. A kill by Connors started off a four-point scoring run for EC, pushing them ahead 14-9. George Flores Jr. and Jeremiah Mathew tallied kills to make the score 19-12 Elmira. Elmira finished off the set scoring six consecutive points that featured two kills from Connors and Mathew, a kill from Flores Jr., and a service ace from Rohman that ended the match. Elmira claimed the third set 25-13 and victory in the match 3-0. 
 
LEADERS
Offensively, Jata led the way with nine kills and six digs, leading the team in both. Staron added nine kills and a dig. Connors notched six kills, an assist, and two digs. Rohman tallied 25 assists and three service aces for the Soaring Eagles. 

MATCH 2 | vs. Houghton, 3-1, (25-17, 20-25, 25-18, 25-22)
Caden Sims notched a kill on the first rally of the game to get the Soaring Eagles on the board. Three consecutive points by the Highlanders saw them take the advantage right away. Staron tallied his first kill of the game to take the momentum back for EC. Elmira followed with five consecutive points with a kill from Jata and Connors and a service ace from Anthony Damore. Staron's second and third kills of the match gave EC an 11-8 advantage in the opening set. Two more kills from Staron capped off a four-point scoring run for the Soaring Eagles, putting the in front 15-9. Staron added a service ace to his huge opening set that made the score 18-11 Elmira. Vargas and Jata notched kills to keep the momentum in favor of the Soaring Eagles. The Highlanders responded with three consecutive points that cut the deficit to four. Three consecutive service aces by Jata concluded the opening set, the Soaring Eagles winning it 25-17. Houghton scored the opening point of the second set. Sims picked up a kill to even the score up at two. The Highlanders answered with four consecutive points to capture the advantage. Kills by Connors and Jata led the Soaring Eagles to tie up the set at seven points each. Sharon notched two more kills that gave momentum back to EC and put them in front 13-11. Houghton answered with a three-point scoring run to put themselves ahead again. A pair of kills by Flores Jr. and a kill from Vargas recaptured the advantage for EC, making the score 17-16. Four consecutive points by Houghton saw the Highlanders pull ahead late in the set. A kill by Staron and a service ace by Ziemblicki tried to give momentum back to the Soaring Eagles. The Highlanders capped off the set with three consecutive points, claiming it 25-20. 
 
Staron opened the third set with his tenth kill of the match to put Elmira in front. Kills from Jata and Austin Hoopes gave the Soaring Eagles a 7-4 advantage. The momentum went completely in Elmira's favor on a six-point scoring run that was started with three consecutive kills by Vargas. Mathew and Staron tallied another kill each as the Soaring Eagles continued to hold onto a five-point advantage. Jata added two kills to his total, keeping the Houghton deficit at five points, and making the score 18-13. A kill by Vargas and service ace by Connors pushed the Soaring Eagles out in front 21-14 in the third set. The Highlanders responded with three consecutive points, as they slowed down the EC run. Two more kills by Staron and one by Sims finished off the third set with Elmira winning it 25-18 and taking a 2-1 advantage in sets. Staron notched another kill early in the fourth set that tied up the score at two. Shortly after Staron tallied his 16^th and 17^th kills of the contest to tie up the set again, this time at four each. A little bit later, kills from Jata and Connors would make the score seven for both sides. Two more kills from Staron cut the Soaring Eagles deficit to two points, 13-11. Back-to-back service aces from Rohman tied up the set, this time at 13 for each side. Elmira scored four consecutive points, capped off by a kill from Jata, that put them in front 18-16. Kills from Vargas and Staron led to three straight points and a 22-18 advantage for EC. The Soaring Eagles would shortly after claim the fourth set 25-22 and the match 3-1.
 
LEADERS
Offensively, Staron led the way with 21 kills, eight digs, two assists, and a service ace. Jata notched 11 kills, totaled six digs and an assist to go along with four service aces. Connors added three kills and five digs. Rohman tallied 21 assists, leading the Soaring Eagles.
 
UP NEXT
The Soaring Eagles travel to Rochester, NY. for a conference matchup with the Cardinals of St. John Fisher University on Friday March 20^th. The match is set to start at 6:00 PM.