Mark Kawecki '17 posted a pair of double-digit kill performances and helped the Soaring Eagles pick up non-conference wins over D'Youville College on the road on March 16 and Baruch College at home on March 18. He finished the week with 26 kills for a 3.25 kills per set average and a .408 attack percentage, to go along with team highs in digs (12) and service aces (5).
In a match that Elmira set a new program record for attack percentage (.564), Kawecki turned in a career performance of his own. En route to a 3-0 drubbing of D'Youville, he floored 11 kills on 15 attempts without an error, equaling a career-high .733 attack percentage. In that match, he also equaled his previous career high with five aces, and led EC in both total blocks (2) and digs (5). The Bangor, Pennsylvania, native came up with a clutch outing in a five-set victory over the Bearcats on Saturday as well. Kawecki tied his season high with 15 kills and three blocks. Four of his kills went down in the decisive fifth set, including the match point.
Kawecki's consecutive matches with double-digit kills allowed the senior outside hitter to become just the fourth player in Elmira history to eclipse the 600-kill plateau. On the season, he's registered a 2.58 kills per set average, third-best on the team, in addition to 1.60 digs per set, the second-most among the Soaring Eagles.
The Elmira men will look to extend their current three-match win streak in a crucial United Volleyball Conference (UVC) matchup on Tuesday, March 21, when the Purple and Gold host Penn State-Behrend at 7:00 p.m.
