Score: Elmira College 3, Daemen College 1 [25-16, 25-17, 23-25, 25-21]
Records: Elmira (6-6), Daemen (2-6)
Location: Lumsden Gymnasium – Amherst, N.Y.
 
AMHERST, N.Y. -- A milestone was reached this evening by the Elmira College men's volleyball team, as the Soaring Eagles defeated Daemen College, 3-1, to earn their first-ever win over an NCAA Division II affiliate. The victory snapped a mini two-match skid and leveled Elmira's record at 6-6.
 
Elmira was consistent from the floor this evening, finishing the match with a 47k-18e-99ta (29.3%) stat line, while the Wildcats of Daemen went 35k-24e-101ta (10.9%). The Soaring Eagles hit no less than 31.6-percent in the first, second and fourth sets, all of which resulted in wins for the Purple and Gold. Of the four sets, EC's fourth-set performance was crucial in sealing the win, as the Elmira men connected at a 39.1-percent clip.
 
EC never trailed in the opening set, winning it in convincing fashion at 25-16. In the second stanza, the lead changed hands multiple times through the early stages, but a 7-2 run put the Purple and Gold out in front, 19-12, which eventually turned into a 25-17 win. During the run, Jose Malave '21 floored two of his match-high-tying three service aces.
 
Daemen led for the majority of the third set, but a 4-0 Elmira run late in the set saw the Soaring Eagles take a two-point lead, 18-16. However, the Wildcats went on to win six of the next seven points to reclaim a 22-19 lead, one that eventually turned into a 25-23 win for Daemen.
 
EC came out hot in the early stages of the fourth frame, going up by as many as five points, 11-6, but the Wildcats slowly chipped away at the Elmira lead and leveled the contest at 19-19. Thankfully Elmira closed out the set in strong fashion, winning six of the final eight points to put Daemen away for good, 25-21.
 
Ryan McDonough '19 was a key cog in EC's offensive attack, as the do-it-all senior produced 18 kills and hit at a 43.8-percent clip. He added three block assists, six digs and tied for the match high with three aces.
 
Garrett Coleman '20 also finished with double-digit kills, 12, but was also efficient on the defensive side of the ball with six digs and four block assists.
 
Setting up the Elmira offense was Jeremy Best '19, who dished out 36 assists to go along with five kills, two digs and two block assists.
 
Defensively, Matt Straney '20 and Ryan Branigan '19 led the way for the Soaring Eagles at the net and on the hardwood. Straney produced a match high seven blocks, including two solo blocks and five block assists. He also tied for the match high in digs with Branigan, as both finished with eight apiece.
 
News and Notes

• EC earned its first-ever win over an NCAA Division II opponent.
• McDonough produced his second-highs kill total of the season (18).
• McDonough's attack percentage (43.8%) is his second highest of the year.
• Straney's seven total blocks are a season high and tie his career high.
• Straney's five block assists are a season high, while his two solo blocks were a career high.
• Straney's eight digs were a career best.
• Coleman tied his career-high kill total (12).
• Coleman has produced double-digit kills in six matches this season.
• Best has logged 30-plus assists in nine matches this year.

 
Up Next
The Soaring Eagles will look to ride today's momentum into the weekend, as they travel to Springfield, Massachusetts, for  a pair of non-league matches. EC opens the weekend on Saturday, February 16, with a 6:00 p.m. neutral-site bout against Elms, before concluding the night with an 8:00 p.m. tilt against the country's top-ranked team and two-time defending national champion, Springfield.