MARCY, N.Y. - SUNY Poly hosted a NEAC Pool Play Event this past weekend. The teams in attendance were Medaille, D'Youville, Hilbert, Keuka, and Wells. The Wildcats lost their first two matches to Medaille 3-1 and to Hilbert 3-2, but bounced back to take the third match 3-1 over D'Youville.
The first match of the weekend for the Wildcats was against the NEAC leading Medaille Mavericks. Medaille went up 2-0 through the first two sets (26-24, 25-21), but the Wildcats took set three 26-24 to bring the match to 2-1. Medaille would end the threat with a convincing set four win 25-11 to end the match.
Max Szuba (Irondequoit, N.Y. / Irondequoit HS) had a match high 11 kills on 32 attempts. He also had two block assists.
Zach Goggin (Feeding Hills, Mass. / Agawam HS) had a match high 30 assists for the Wildcats. He also added three kills and seven digs to his stat line.
In the second match, the Wildcats squared off with the Hilbert Hawks. The two teams traded blows back and forth, the Hawks taking sets one and three and the Wildcats taking sets two and four. The match came down to the decisive fifth set. The deciding set was a close one, but the Hawks emerged with the 15-13 win to take the match 3-2 (26-24, 21-25, 25-22, 19-25, 15-13)
Zach Goggin set a new SUNY Poly record in the match. He recorded 61 assists, breaking the previous single match assists record of 57 held by Jonathan Brochu 11'. Coincidentally, the former record was also set against Hilbert on January 23rd 2010.
Ryan Gloff (Brockport, N.Y. / Brockport HS) led the way for the Wildcats with a match high 21 kills. Gloff hit .255 on 47 attempts. Gloff also added some defense recording two block assists and a dig.
Max Szuba had another solid performance recording 19 kills on 44 attempts. Szuba also had two block assists and five digs in the match.
Dan O'Connor (Latham, N.Y. / Shaker HS) set a career high for digs in a single match with 20 in the match. That number is good for eighth in the all-time single match record book.
The third match of the weekend for the Wildcats was against D'Youville. The Wildcats took some time before the match to honor their two departing seniors Dan O'Connor and A.J. Davids. Both players were joined on court by their family members for the ceremony which highlighted their outstanding careers, their character, and their commitment to the Wildcat volleyball program. Both players will be missed upon their departure at the end of this season.
The game was a return to the Wildcats winning ways. SUNY Poly took the match in four sets (25-18, 25-16, 18-25, 25-18). A.J. Davids (Hilton, N.Y. / Hilton HS) came through on senior day with a match high 14 kills on 30 attempts. He also had a service ace, three digs, and three block assists. Dan O'Connor had 12 digs in the match.
Zach Goggin and Ryan Gloff had solid performances in the match as well. Goggin set for 40 assists, had two kills, and a service ace. Gloff went for a cool 11 kills and had a match high three service aces.
With the 1-2 weekend the Wildcats now sit at 15-8 on the season and 8-3 in the NEAC, putting them second in the current standings. The team will travel to Altoona, Pennsylvania on Saturday to take on Penn State Altoona, Lancaster Bible, and Wilson in a NEAC Pool Play Event. The Wildcats play on Friday at 7:00 PM and on Saturday at 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM.
