SPRINGFIELD MASS. – The SUNY Poly Wildcats took on #1 nationally ranked Springfield College Pride in in their first match of the day on Saturday. The Pride showed why they are the number one team in the nation winning the match handily 3-0 (10-25, 04-25, 10-25).
The Wildcats got behind 0-1 after dropping the first set 25-10, hitting -.203 after the Pride put up 10 block assists and a solo block in the set.
Springfield started on an 11-1 run to open up the second set. Strong serving and big blocking from the Prides middles were the Wildcats downfall in the set. The final score of the second set was 25-4
The Wildcats hung with the Pride for the first half of the third set, down 7-9. Springfield would again go on a big run, outscoring the Wildcats 16-3 down the stretch. The Pride won the set 25-10.
Max Szuba (Irondequoit, N.Y.) led the Wildcats with five kills in the set. Connor Schultz (Lancaster, N.Y.) had four kills and a dig. Brian Malsan (Slingerlands, N.Y.) had a team high four digs.
For the Pride, Luis Vega had five kills on seven swings. Five Springfield players had three kills in the match. Ricardo Padilla Ayala had an impressive five service aces. Springfield hit .568 as a team in the match and had 20 block assists and three solo blocks.
The Wildcats drop to 7-4 and the Pride improve to 9-1 on the year. The Wildcats second match of the day is scheduled to begin at 3:00 PM against Arcadia.