Match 1: Elmira College 3, Rutgers-Newark 2 [25-21, 25-22, 23-25, 22-25, 15-13]
Match 2: Elmira College 3, D'Youville College [25-12, 25-19, 25-14]
Records: Elmira (11-14), Rutgers-Newark (13-6), D'Youville (4-13)
Location: Speidel Gymnasium – Elmira, N.Y.
 
ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College men's volleyball team ended the 2019 EC Invitational in impressive fashion, as the Soaring Eagles earned a pair of non-league victories over visiting Rutgers-Newark and D'Youville College. Elmira edged Rutgers-Newark in five sets, before rolling over the Spartans of D'Youville in the nightcap in three.
 
Match 1
Elmira was efficient in the first two sets against Rutgers-Newark, hitting 28.6-percent and 52.0-percent, respectively. Those efforts helped the Soaring Eagles take a commanding 2-sets-to-0 lead on the Scarlet Knights. A balanced attack was the key in the opening sets, as four EC players had six-or-more kills, led by Ryan McDonough '19, who had eight. Also aiding EC's efforts was an efficient side-out game, which saw EC side-out at a 73-percent clip in the second set.
 
Rutgers-Newark did not go away quietly, as the Scarlet Knights rallied for 25-23 and 25-22 wins in the third and fourth sets, respectively. EC swung at a mere 16.7-percent in those sets combined, while Rutgers-Newark hit at a 33.9-percent clip to level the match at 2-2.
 
In the fifth set, Rutgers-Newark held the largest lead at 8-5, but Elmira slowly chipped away at the deficit by winning six of the next eight points to go up, 11-10. The Scarlet Knights leveled the score at 11-11, but a kill by McDonough and solo block from Landon Miller '20 put Elmira in the driver's seat, 13-11.
 
However, momentum swung back into Rutgers-Newark's favor, as a kill from Elan Dorkham and an EC attack error evened the score at 13-13. On the ensuing point, the significance of the moment was too big for David Mrowko, who committed a service error to give EC the serve and a 14-13 edge. Nerves got the better of the Scarlet Knights on the next point as well, as an attack error from Dorkham handed the Purple and Gold the set, 15-13, and the match, 3-2.
 
Four EC players finished with double-digit kills, led by a team-high 19-kill effort from McDonough. McDonough also produced 16 digs, two block assists, three assists and a service ace.
 
Garrett Coleman '20 had a breakout match for Elmira, as the third-year big-man floored 16 kills to go along with six digs and a pair of blocks. Dan Symer '19 and Miller added 10 kills apiece to round out EC's multi-kill performers. Symer also chipped in five digs, while Miller added a trio of blocks, including two solos.
 
Jeremy Best '19 ended the match with 51 assists, as well as four kills, four digs, two aces and one block.
 
Defensively, Ryan Branigan '19 and Matt Straney '20 played large roles for the Elmira men. Branigan came up with nine digs, as well as two assists, while Straney paced all players with six blocks. Of Straney's six rejections, one was a solo.
 
Match 2
A stingy defensive effort and a solid all-around performance on offense was the story of match two, as the Purple and Gold breezed past D'Youville in three sets. A total of 10 players produced kills for Elmira, led by McDonough, who registered 17 on 51.9-percent hitting.
 
Rookie Matt Amoddio '22 floored five kills on 50-percent hitting, while Best, who also had 30 assists, came up with three kills. Jose Malave '21, Symer, Straney, Coleman and Declan Quinn '22 each finished with two kills apiece.  
 
Defensively, Malave and Branigan tied for the match high with eight digs apiece. Additionally, Malave and McDonough ended the contest with a pair of service aces.
 
In His Own Words…
"I'm very proud of the way the boys bounced back today," said head coach Daniel Miranda. "Our attack at the service line was arguable our best all season. Jeremy did a phenomenal job balancing out the offense and Branigan continues to impress on the defensive and serve-receive side. Symer continues to impress too, as he is coming off of injury. And finally, McDonough flat out had a weekend to remember."
 
News and Notes

• Elmira improved to 3-2 on their home court at Speidel Gymnasium this season.
• McDonough produced his second double-double in as many days.
• McDonough's 16 digs against Rutgers-Newark were a season high.
• Coleman logged his eighth double-digit kill performance of the season against Rutgers-Newark.
• Coleman's 16 kills and six digs against Rutgers-Newark were both season highs.
• Best's two service aces against Rutgers-Newark were a season high.
• Best reached the 50-assist mark for just the fourth time this season.
• Straney's six blocks against Rutgers-Newark is his second-highest total of the season.
• Symer has produced 10-or-more kills in three matches this year.

 
Up Next
The Soaring Eagles are back in action next Wednesday, March 20, when they host United Volleyball Conference (UVC) foe Nazareth College in a 7:00 p.m. bout at Speidel Gymnasium.