The #12-ranked New York University men's volleyball team squared off against #17-ranked SUNY New Paltz in a United Volleyball Conference (UVC) match on Wednesday, March 27, in the John A. Paulson Center in Manhattan, NY.

The two rivals slugged it out for almost 2-1/2 hours before the Violets (11-7, 3-2) puled out the five-set victory.

NYU won the first two sets 25-21, 25-17, lost the next two 25-23, 25-22, then came back to take the deciding set 15-9 for their third conference win of the season.

"This was a very competitive conference match between two programs that needed a UVC victory urgently," said NYU Head Coach Jose Pina. "We started pretty strong and jumped ahead 2-0, but we knew that New Paltz would have a response." 
 
NYU raced to an early 4-1 lead in the first set and held it until New Paltz (16-10, 1-3) scored four successive points to go ahead for the first time 10-9. The Violets tied it up again, and neither pulled away until NYU broke a 20-20 tie with two consecutive points. A three-point run featuring two Lucas Osiecki kills gave NYU the first set. 
 
New Paltz went ahead early in the second, but the Violets scored five unanswered points to go ahead 7-3 and take the lead for good.  
 
The Hawks raced to a 6-3 lead in the third set after scoring three in a row. NYU came within one at 17-16 following kills from Osiecki and Luke Boyer, and again at 23-22 after a Boyer service ace. However, New Paltz held on to extend the match.
 
NYU broke a 6-6 tie in the fourth set on the strength of two Boyer kills. But, the Hawks tied it again at 10-10. Both teams continued to trade points until New Paltz scored three in succession to take the lead 20-17 and keep the Violets at bay.

"In games three and four we had plenty of opportunities to put the match away, but New Paltz's Pat Wing got going and he is a pretty singular player," Pina explained. "He led them during those comeback games, and the match was extended to a fifth set."
 
The fifth set started as a tense affair, with New Paltz having the early lead at 4-3. But four straight points highlighted by kills from Emerson Evans and Matthew Warter gave NYU the momentum to win the match. The Hawks never got closer than four points, and consecutive kills by Osiecki and Ry Kagan ended the long affair.

"We were able to prevail in game five by hitting at a .500 clip and holding them to .000," Pina added. "All in all a good team win." 
 
Boyer put up 16 kills, followed by 15 from Osiecki and 12 from Kagan. Devyn Nguyen recorded 53 assists while Boyer had three service aces, both match-highs.
 
Zach Knudsen and Boyer led the way with 10 and eight digs, respectively.
 
The Violets host the NYU Tri-Meet this Saturday, March 30, on Senior Day. They will play Buffalo State University at 12 p.m. and Ramapo College at 5 p.m. back in the John A. Paulson Center.