Match Point
Post Match Interview

HOBOKEN, N.J. (April 12, 2015) – Senior Ryan Seifert notched 21 kills and was named United Volleyball Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player as the No. 1 Stevens Institute of Technology men's volleyball team knocked off No. 3 and second seeded SUNY-New Paltz in a four set thriller on Sunday.
 
With the win, the Ducks claimed the UVC automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball National Championship which they will be hosting beginning April 24 through the 26. New Paltz will be waiting to see if they have grabbed one of two Pool C at-large bids which be announced tomorrow at 10 a.m. via the selection show on NCAA.com.
 
In the opening period, neither side grabbed a stronghold on the lead with the two sides splitting the first eight points. Stevens went on a 3-0 to take over the lead which they would not give up behind a kill from junior Tim Ferriter and an ace from Seifert. New Paltz hung tough, and a 3-0 run behind the serve of junior Christian Smith brought them within two. After a kill by senior David Evans, the Hawks tallied three of the next four markers thanks to kills from senior John Lutjen and freshman Anthony Bonilla. A Bonilla service error gave the Ducks set point, but Smith recorded a kill to stave off the first set point. However a Bonilla attack error sealed the first set for the home team.
 
The second set was a game of runs early, with the hosts scoring a trio of 2-0 runs and visitors running off three in a row and two in a row. Neither side was able to grab a lead of more than two throughout the second stanza. After a Seifert kill tied everything at 18, New Paltz used kills from Lutjen, sophomore Stevens Woessner and a pair from Smith to close out the second set. The second stanza saw 17 ties and nine lead changes.
 
New Paltz came out in set three with the first two points, but quickly saw their lead disappear thanks to a pair of kills from senior Daniel Smith, the second of which he crushed an overpass. The Ducks were able to hop back in front 12-11 when Evans smashed home a kill off a nifty feed from junior John Eddins, who returned after missing the semifinal match. The Hawks then countered with a 4-0 run with Bonilla adding a kill and junior Andy Fishman slamming home two kills. Ferriter recorded a kill to tie the set at 21, but a Seifert serving error gave the guests a one point edge. Stevens then closed out the set on a 4-1 run, capped off by a pair of Hawks unforced errors. Much like the previous set, this one saw 18 ties and seven lead changes.
 
The first six points of the fourth period were split, with both sides notching three straight points. Neither side was able to get ahead by more than a single point until a double-block by Ferriter and Smith capped off a 3-0 run and gave the Ducks a two point lead forcing the Hawks into a timeout. A ball handling error by Stevens tied thing back up at 18, but Seifert and Jordan Stuart recorded back-to-back kills once again giving Stevens a two point lead. After a double-block by Eddins and Daniel Smith put Stevens up 23-20, Fishman and Daniel Smith recorded kills for their respective sides giving the Ducks match point. The Hawks went on a 3-0 run to ward off the first match point, but a kill by Evans put the home side up one. A thunderous double-block by Daniel Smith and Seifert ended the match for the Ducks, setting off a raucous celebration in the student section.
 
Ferriter notched a double-double with 11 kills and 13 digs while also chipping five blocks with Eddins and senior Kevin Aeckerle putting up a combined 47 assists. Daniel Smith recorded seven kills and seven total blocks while Evans had eight kills and six digs. The collective unit hit .330 overall, including .458 and .448 in the final two sets.
 
New Paltz had four players each record 10 or more kills with Lutjen and Christian Smith each 12 while combining for 57 assists. Bonilla had 11 kills and nine digs, while the team hit .281 overall.
 
Stevens will find out their opponents during the NCAA Selection Show, which will air on NCAA.com Monday at 10 a.m.
 

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