Annandale-on-Hudson, NY--- The Sage Colleges' men's volleyball team competed on Saturday in the championship game of the Bard College Raptor Invitational. Sage faced tournament host, Bard College in the finals and came away with the championship crown after recording a 3-1 win (25-22, 24-26, 28-26, 25-23).
The Gators are now 11-4 on the season and have extended their win streak to six matches, an active program record. Bard drops to 7-9. The Sage win over Bard is the first in the series history as the Raptors had won the seven previous matches.
Sage's junior setter Kyle Ray (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) was named the Tournament MVP, while sophomores Scott Fitzgerald (Hudson Falls, NY/Queensbury) and Dylan Krowicki (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) were also selected to the All-Tournament Team for their efforts over the course of the two-day tournament.
Bard Raptors Tournament All-Tournament Team
Spencer Hastings, Mount Ida
Justus Stahrr, SUNYIT
Matt Dugan, Lasell
Dan Raffol, Lasell
Joe Gabor, NYU-Poly
Rishi Sarkar, NYU-Poly,
Nick Chan, Bard
Billy Williams, Bard
Dylan Krowicki, Sage
Scott Fitzgerald, Sage
Most Outstanding Player: Kyle Ray, Sage
The Gators won the first set 25-22, while Bard answered with a 26-24 win in the second set. Tied at 1-1 each, the third set was tight but went to Sage 28-26. During the set, Bard was up 23-18 and also 24-21, but the Gators came back and triumphed. Sage sealed the match win by taking the next set 25-23.
Sage's junior middle hitter Spencer Hilland (Slingerlands, NY/Bethlehem Central) tallied a double-double in the match with his 18 kills and 12 digs. He added five total blocks in the contest to pace the team. In his brief time as a Gator he has already amassed 424 career kills.
Krowicki added a double-double for the Gators with his 13 kills and 14 digs, while Fitzgerald had 10 digs with nine kills. Ray connected on 28 setting assists with eight digs.
Sage will be back in action hosting New Jersey City University on Monday, February 27 at 7 p.m. in the Kahl Center in a Skyline Conference match.
