Albany, NY--- The Sage Colleges' men's volleyball team hosted the Mountaineers of Southern Vermont College on Wednesday evening in the Kahl Center. The Gators came from behind trailing 2-0 to post the 3-2 win, (20-25, 22-25, 25-20, 25-20, 15-9) to collect the sweep on the year over SVC. The Gators improve to 14-5 overall, while SVC drops to 6-7. The 14 wins for Sage ties the young program's record for most wins in a season after going 14-12 last year.
Pacing Sage on the night was sophomore Dylan Krowicki (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) with a double-double on 25 kills with 10 digs. Junior Spencer Hilland (Slingerlands, NY/Bethlehem Central) recorded 21 kills on the night with a pair aces and four total blocks with nine digs.
SVC's sophomore outside hitter Anthony Barahona (Eagle Rock, CA/Eagle Rock) tallied a team-best 17 kills on the evening with 15 digs for the Mountaineers. Rookie middle Joseph Dighton (Riverside, CA/La Sierra) added 15 kills on the night for SVC. Senior middle hitter Nick Haggerty (Wyantskill, NY/Averill Park) finished with a team-best 16 digs on the night.
In the first set, Sage held a 15-13 lead before a 3-1 run giving the Gators an 18-14 lead. The Mountaineers fought back to tie the action at 18-18, forcing a Sage timeout. SVC won a hard-fought rally and took a 19-18 lead as the two teams exchanged points and ties. SVC then went on a 5-0 run and won the first set, 25-20. The second set was equally as hard fought with the Mountaineers holding a 23-21 edge before taking the second set, 25-22 for a 2-0 lead.
In the third set, SVC jumped out to a 7-3 lead before Sage went on a 7-0 run and held a 10-7 lead. The Gators jumped to a 15-9 lead as Hilland recorded an ace. The Gators never lost the lead and took the third set, 25-20.
The two squads were tied at 6-6 in the fourth set before a Gator run that saw the team lead 12-6. Sage held an 18-17 lead before the Mountaineers tied the action at 18 all. The Gators responded as Hilland had a kill and helped the Gators retake the lead, 19-18. The Gators held on for a 25-20 win to take the fourth set.
With the final set tied at 2-2, Sage took the lead and never relinquished the lead en route to the fifth set win, 15-9.
For the Gators, Hilland elevated his team-leading kills to 232 and now has 472 career kills at Sage. He is on target to become the first men's volleyball player to rack up 500 career kills. Sophomore Scott Fitzgerald (Hudson Falls, NY/Queensbury) added 15 digs with nine kills for Sage, while junior setter Kyle Ray (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) handed out 55 setting assists with nine digs. Ray continues to add to his active career record as he now has 1,350 career setting assists.
Sage will be back in action on March 24 and 25 competing at the Endicott College Tournament, while SVC travels to Johnson and Wales for a two-day tournament on March 16 and 17.
