Penn State Behrend Shocks NYU in UVC Quarterfinals 3-2
From NYU Sports Information Release
In a match that featured more highs and lows than a busy elevator, the New York University men's volleyball team was eliminated by Penn State-Behrend in five sets in the first round of the United Volleyball Conference (UVC) Championship on Saturday, April 14, at the Coles Sports Center in Manhattan.
The Violets (20-9) came into the eight-team tournament as the #1 seed after finishing the regular season with a perfect 11-0 conference mark, while the Lions (10-17, 4-7) were the #8 seed.
However, it was Penn State-Behrend that looked like the top seed at the start, taking the first two sets by scores of 25-22 and 25-21.
The Lions then took a 13-10 lead in the third set, and it looked as if the Violets were going to be eliminated quickly.
However, NYU went on a 5-0 run with George Koch serving four of the points. That streak spurred the Violets on to a 25-19 victory as the comeback began.
NYU's good play continued into the fourth set. The Violets never trailed as they breezed to a 25-13 victory and knotted the match at 2-2.
In the deciding fifth set, it seemed that NYU's comeback would be thwarted as Penn State Behrend grabbed an 8-4 lead. However, the momentum shifted once again as the Violets used a 9-3 run to take a seemingly safe 13-11 advantage.
However, this time it was the Lions who came roaring back. With NYU holding match point at 14-12, Penn State Behrend's Ty Sheehan recorded a kill and consecutive NYU attack errors gave the Lions match point.
NYU's Luke Hamlet extended the match with a kill of his own, but consecutive points by the Lions gave them the set 17-15 and the match 3-2.
"We started playing well too late in the match. We did not play to our full potential for a full five games," said NYU head coach Jose Pina. "When you get into a fifth set, every deficiency starts showing and every single mistake gets magnified."
Taylor Fauntleroy finished with a match-high 27 kills, while Nick Capriccio (17) and Pat Dodd (15) also reached double digits.
Karl Johnson recorded a match-high 57 assists for the Violets, while Jay Hayes led the way on defense with 15 digs.
Sheehan and Grant Kocher each had 12 kills for Penn State-Behrend, while Evan Fullerton contributed 28 assists.
It was a tough ending for the Violets, competing in their first season as a member of the UVC. The Violets, currently ranked #6 in the latest AVCA Top-15 Coaches' Poll, will now await word on a potential at-large bid to the first ever NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Championship.