Utica, N.Y. - The SUNY Poly men's volleyball team split their tri-match with Houghton and SUNY New Paltz. The Wildcats fell to the Hawks in their opening match but bounced back with a strong performance against the Highlanders, evening their season record at 4-4. SUNY Poly now sets its sights on their upcoming matchup with Elmira.
GAME ONE:
SUNY Poly vs SUNY New Paltz
The first set saw SUNY Poly and SUNY New Paltz exchange early points, with Poly tying the score at 1-1 after New Paltz opened the match with a kill. Wildcat Peter Gottler answered quickly with a service ace, giving the Wildcats a 2-1 lead. Despite some errors from both sides, New Paltz steadily took control with a strong defensive performance and offensive execution. Wildcat Jason Aubrey had a few timely kills, but New Paltz pushed their lead to 16-8. The Hawks kept their momentum and finished the set with a kill, sealing a 25-15 victory.
In the second set, New Paltz quickly jumped to a 2-0 lead, but Poly responded with strong play, including kills from Gottler and a service ace, tying the set at 3-3. The teams traded points throughout the set, with notable kills from Aubrey and Andrew Baaki keeping the Wildcats in the match. Poly tightened their defense and capitalized on New Paltz errors to pull ahead 19-18. The set became a dramatic back-and-forth affair, with the Wildcats tying the set at 23-23. After a timely kill from New Paltz, Poly fought back with clutch kills from Aubrey and Larkin, eventually winning the set 28-26 in a thrilling finish.
The third set saw Poly take a brief 3-2 lead, but New Paltz quickly regained the advantage with back-to-back kills. Despite some strong efforts from Poly, including kills from Adam Brawn and Aubrey, New Paltz's defense held firm. The Hawks continued to pull away and took the set 25-20, establishing a 2-1 match lead.
New Paltz came out strong in the fourth set, taking a quick 2-0 lead thanks to strong kills and service aces. Both teams struggled with errors early on, but New Paltz's offense picked up with steady defense. Poly made a final push with attacks from Brawn, but New Paltz's unyielding defense and steady play led them to a 25-16 set win, securing the match victory.
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GAME TWO:Â
The first set of the match between Houghton and SUNY Poly was a back-and-forth battle, with both teams trading leads throughout. Houghton took an early 1-0 lead, but the Wildcats quickly responded. As the set progressed, Houghton maintained a slight edge, buoyed by key kills from Devin Cline and Elijah Sproull. SUNY Poly's Peter Gottler and Andrew Baaki answered with strong offensive plays, keeping the set close. With the score tied at 19-all, a crucial service ace from Houghton shifted the momentum, and they capitalized on it to win the set 25-23.
The second set saw SUNY Poly take control early, with Slater serving an ace and Houghton committing several attack errors, giving the Wildcats a 4-0 lead. SUNY Poly continued to capitalize on Houghton's mistakes, forcing more errors and maintaining their advantage. Despite some late-game contributions from Elijah Sproull and Thomas McGlynn, Houghton struggled to find their rhythm. SUNY Poly's offensive depth, led by Jason Aubrey and Andrew Baaki, proved too much, and the Wildcats took the set 25-7.
In the third set, SUNY Poly came out strong, building a 4-0 lead behind kills from Peter Gottler and Jason Aubrey. Houghton battled with errors and couldn't catch up, as SUNY Poly's offense remained dominant, extending the lead to 16-6. Adam Brawn added to the Wildcats' offensive firepower, and despite a late push from Houghton, SUNY Poly sealed the set 25-18 with a final kill from Aubrey.
The fourth set was a tight affair at the start, with both teams exchanging points. SUNY Poly eventually pulled ahead, thanks to consistent offense from Aubrey and Peter Gottler. Houghton mounted a few rallies, but SUNY Poly's defense and attacking from Andrew Baaki kept them in control. The Wildcats held off the Highlanders' advances and claimed the set 25-20, securing a 3-1 victory in the match.
