Elmira vs. NYU
Match Details	Friday, Apr. 13 | New York, N.Y. | 5:00 p.m.
Venue Information	Hunter Sportsplex
Ticket Information	General Admission: $5 | Students/Seniors: $3  Children under 12 are Free
Match Coverage	Live Video: Video Link Live Stats: Stats Link
NYU Links	Roster | Schedule | Stats

ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The fifth-seeded Elmira College men's volleyball team is set for a quarterfinal matchup against the fourth-seed, No. 12 New York University in the United Volleyball Conference (UVC) Tournament. The event will be hosted by the top-seeded Stevens Institute of Technology on Friday through Sunday, April 13-15, at the Hunter Sportsplex in New York City.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Soaring Eagles went 1-1 to close out the 2018 regular season at the SUNY Poly Invitational on Saturday, April 7, in Marcy, New York. Elmira opened the event with a tough five-set loss to the host Wildcats. EC then bounced back in the finale, defeating Wilson College in convincing fashion, 3-1. Matthew Buffum '18 led the way for the Purple and Gold with 23 kills, seven blocks and a tremendous .625 hitting percentage at the invite. Sophomore Garrett Coleman '20 tallied career performances in the bouts, as he floored a career-high 11 kills in the opener and he recorded a career-best 11 digs in the finale. Jeremy Best '19 did a little bit of everything for Elmira, as he led the team with 84 assists while finishing second with six blocks. In the regular-season finale against the Phoenix, Dan Symer '19 tallied a new career high with six service aces.
 
BUFFUM'S LEADERSHIP
One thing that has been clear throughout the 2018 campaign is that Buffum lets his game do most of the talking on the court. The fourth-year middle blocker has been one of the most consistent players in the country all season and his trophy case of weekly awards continues to grow as the year winds down. In total, Buffum has been named Player of the Week four times by the Empire 8 Conference, three times by the UVC, and once by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), just the third time in program history that a Soaring Eagle has earned that honor. His season statistics compare favorably to the best players across the country, as he ranks 10th nationally in blocks per set (1.04) and eleventh in hitting percentage (.416). Buffum's hitting percentage stands to top his own single-season program record set in 2017, while the blocks-per-set average trails only Dylan Kuhn '16 (1.09) for the top spot in that category. The 6-foot-7-inch middle also became EC's all-time blocks leader this year, as he has 346 in his illustrious career. Making just his second appearance in the UVC Tournament, Buffum has a chance to show on a larger stage just how good of a player he has become in his four collegiate seasons.
 
PLAYOFF READY
Friday's bout is far from the first time that the Soaring Eagles have played in the UVC Tournament. In eight seasons of varsity competition, EC has made the postseason five times, including four straight appearances between 2012 and 2015. Unfortunately for the Purple and Gold, they are 1-4 in their first five playoff bouts, the lone win being a thrilling 3-2 triumph over then No. 9 Medaille College. Elmira is also in search of its first bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament in program history.
 
SCOUTING NYU
The No. 12-ranked Violets enter this weekend's contest coming off of a five-set loss to Rutgers-Newark on Thursday, April 5, in Newark, New Jersey. The setback halted a season-long six-game win streak for NYU, a streak that dated back to March 18. Tied with Elmira in the final UVC standings with an identical mark of 5-4, the Violets own the fourth-seed by virtue of earning the head-to-head tiebreaker. A relatively young program, NYU's two most impactful players this season are sophomores. At the forefront of this group is 6-foot-7-inch middle blocker Neil Ferraro, who leads the team in both blocks per set (1.13) and hitting percentage (.432). The 2017 All-UVC Second Teamer ranks fifth in the country in blocks per set and eighth in hitting percentage. Fellow second-year player, Alex Li, is the team's best offensive threat, as the reigning UVC Rookie of the Year ranks ninth in Division III in kills per set (3.67) and is second on the team in hitting percentage (.271).
 
THE REST OF THE FIELD
As is always the case, the UVC Tournament field features some of the top programs in the country, as four of the teams are ranked in the latest AVCA Division III Poll. The top-seeded program heading into the event is No. 3 nationally-ranked Stevens. The Ducks ended the regular season with a 23-4 overall record and an 8-1 mark in conference. The lone blemish on that league record came against No. 9 SUNY New Paltz on March 18, 3-0. Stevens has played nine nationally-ranked teams this season and owns a 7-2 record in those bouts. By virtue of earning the top overall seed in the tournament, the Ducks will have a bye into the semifinal round, where they will face the winner of Elmira and NYU. The No. 2 seed in the event is No. 7 Vassar College, who ended the year with a 21-6 overall record and an 8-1 mark in league play. The aforementioned Hawks of No. 6 SUNY New Paltz (18-7, 7-2 UVC) own the third seed and will face the sixth-seeded Golden Flyers of Nazareth College (17-12, 4-5 UVC) in the second match of the quarterfinal round.
 
UP NEXT
If the Soaring Eagles defeat the Violets in the quarterfinals, they will have a date with the top-seeded Ducks on Saturday, April 14. The showdown between the feathered foes would take place at 2:30 p.m. at the Hunter Sportsplex.