NEW PALTZ, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz (15-5 overall, 3-0 UVC) extended its winning streak to seven Wednesday night in the Hawk Center after taking down No. 1 nationally ranked Springfield in an exciting five-set finish (20-25, 25-18, 15-25, 25-22, 16-14).
SUNY New Paltz was buoyed by its play at the net, as middles Krish Jain and Peter Brutschin were huge in the front row, combining for eight total blocks, aided by four more from outside Nikko Tenedorio who was the offensive catalyst as well for the Hawks.
After Springfield (11-3) opened up with a 1-0 lead, SUNY New Paltz tied the match at a set apiece in a commanding second period. The Hawks never trailed in the stanza, as Matt Marusza served the first eight points, starting with an ace and capped by a block from Jain and Tenedorio.
The Pride worked back to within three at 16-13 following a kill, but Matt Teplansky answered with a kill from the right side to side-out for his team. Points were traded until SUNY New Paltz extended to set point at 24-17, scoring five of the next six points before Tenedorio set his team up a point away from the second-set victory. Consecutive service errors ended the stanza, 25-18 in favor of the hosts.
Springfield re-took momentum in a dominant third set, holding set point at 24-16 before sealing the 2-1 lead on a Hawks hitting error. SUNY New Paltz regrouped in the fourth, however, and battled through a tight fourth set.
Gallery: (3-4-2026) Men's Volleyball vs. Springfield College
John Giotis smashed a free ball at the net to tie the period at 13-all, but an attacking error three points later officially pushed the hosts ahead. Daniel Shanley continued serving through the stretch and helped the Hawks to a 17-14 lead, aided from another kill by Giotis. SUNY New Paltz hung onto the advantage from there with a kill by Jain clinching set point at 24-19. The Pride rallied, but ultimately a serving error four points later tied the match at 2-2 to force a deciding fifth stanza.
The final set needed extra points to decide the winner. Springfield held an 8-6 lead at the switch following a kill, but a service error revived the Hawks. Matt Kudlinski came in to serve the next point, which led to a big solo block from Jain to tie the score at 8-8. The period was tied once again at 9-, 11-, 12-, 13- and 14-all after the Pride earned match point at 14-13 on a kill by Carter Durivage. A service error handed the ball back to the Hawks with Giotis the hero from the service line. He forced a hitting error to push his team to match point before Tenedorio swung for a game-winning kill off an assist from Marusza to seal the 3-2 victory.
Tenedorio had a game-high 18.5 points on 16 kills off 32 attempts, hitting .438 with two assists, a solo block, four block assists and seven digs. Michael Spiegel followed with 11.5 points on 11 kills, a block assist and six digs. Jain finished with six kills, two solo blocks and three assisted. Shanley added an ace and a team-leading 10 digs, while Marusza finished with a team-high 38 assists to go along with a kill, two aces, an assisted block and five digs.
SUNY New Paltz looks to extend its winning streak and knock off its third ranked opponent Saturday, as it goes on the road to face No. 4 Stevens in Hoboken, New Jersey for a 3 p.m. match.