NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher men's volleyball team (4-4, 0-1 UVC) suffered its third consecutive five-set loss, this one to No. 14 SUNY New Paltz (8-4, 1-0 UVC), to open United Volleyball Conference play on Friday night at the Hawk Center. 

How It Happened

The Hawks took the first set 25-19 and the second set 25-18 as the Cardinals struggled offensively. Fisher had five kills and hit in the negatives in the first frame before slamming just five more kills while hitting .000 in the second. The Cardinals spotted New Paltz 12 points on errors, with seven coming in the first set. 

Geoff Ndoria, who amassed a match-high 20.5 total points, slammed nine kills over the first two frames. He had 14 kills for the match on a .355 hitting percentage to go with seven total blocks, four of which were of the solo variety. 

The Cardinals' offense found some rhythm in a 25-17 victory in the third set, during which they had 10 kills while hitting .350. Freshman outside hitter Avery Kielbasinski and senior outside hitter Casey Jackson combined for six of those kills (three apiece), while sophomore outside hitter Coleton Welter added two. Fisher jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the set and never let New Paltz pull closer than four points after that run. 

Kielbasinski slammed three more kills and was joined by fellow freshman outside hitter Giancarlo Martinez as the Cardinals forced a fifth frame with a 26-24 win in the fourth. The Cardinals scored four straight points after falling behind 22-20 and two straight points to end the set on kills from Kielbasinski and senior outside hitter Gabe La Robardiere after New Paltz drew even, 24-24. 

The match, though, ended the way it began for the Cardinals, who hit in the negatives and had eight attacking errors in the decisive set. Nikko Tenedorio accounted for three of New Paltz's six kills while hitting .500 in the frame. 

The five-set affair marked the third between the teams since last March. The teams split those thrillers last season, with the Cardinals winning in the regular season and the Hawks winning in the first round of the UVC Tournament. 

Match Notes

• Kielbasinski led the Cardinals with 10.5 points on 10 kills and a block assist. 

• Freshman libero Luke Zimmermann recorded a season-high 23 digs, the second-most ever by a Cardinal in a five-set match. David Cerqua (33 digs in 2020) holds the program record. 

• Senior setter Aidan Calhoun dished out a career-high 28 assists. He also had three service aces, a match-high. 

• Junior Guillermo Perez led the Cardinals with five total blocks, three of them solos. 

Up Next

The Cardinals face No. 6 NYU at 2 p.m. on Saturday in New York City.