ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. -- The Elmira College men's volleyball team bounced back in a big way on Sunday morning, as the Soaring Eagles rolled over United Volleyball Conference (UVC) foe Bard, 3-0.

Elmira's (5-9, 1-1 UVC) offense was nearly unstoppable against the Raptors (1-10, 0-1 UVC), as the Soaring Eagles hit at a .492 clip with 38 kills. Along with EC's ferocious attack, the Purple and Gold were stellar from the service line. Elmira tossed up a single-match program-record 19 aces, led by Landon Miller '20 who finished with a season-high five aces.

Offensively, Declan Quinn '22 paced EC with nine kills in his first appearance of the season. Miller was perfect at the net for the Purple and Gold with eight kills and no attack errors. Matt Straney '20 and Garrett Coleman '20 chipped in with eight kills apiece. Rookie Neiram Galán-Canales '23 was stellar in his collegiate debut, as he totaled a match-best 30 assists.

An early 6-to-0 in the opening frame set the tone for the remainder of the match, as EC raced out to an 11-1 lead. Bard responded late with four consecutive points, but it was too little, too late, as a kill and an ace from Straney brought the set to a close.

Elmira continued the onslaught in the second set, as the Soaring Eagles hit at a match-best .588. EC raced out to a 7-1 lead behind a trio of aces from Haenhyanonhna Powless '23. The Purple and Gold's lead ballooned to 23-9 on the heels of a 5-to-0 run that was bookended by a kill and an ace from Miller. Quinn eventually ended the frame with a kill off a feed from Powless.

The Raptors hung with the Purple and Gold in the early portion of the third set, but a 7-to-0 run that featured a pair of kills from Tyler Anderson '23 pushed EC ahead 12-4. The Soaring Eagles kept their foot on the gas from there, as they never allowed Bard to gain much traction. Alex Adelman '22 floored the final kill of the match, to seal the 25-14 victory.

In his own words….
Head Coach Dan Miranda on picking up a crucial win in the middle of the season…
"Today was a great bounce-back win for us. There were a lot of new faces on the court that stepped up in a major way. We're at the crucial midpoint of our season and we're en route to being healthier and stronger. This weekend was a big test for us and we're looking forward to returning to full force next Sunday."

News and Notes

• Elmira floored 38 kills compared to 11 from the Raptors.
• EC held the edge in digs, 20-to-14.
• The Purple and Gold's 19 service aces marked a single-match program record.
• Elmira's .492 attack percentage was a season-best.
• Quinn registered team-highs in kills (9) and digs (6).
• Miller's eight kills were a season-high.
• Galán-Canales produced a match-best 30 assists in his collegiate debut.

Up Next
The Soaring Eagles are back in action on Sunday, February 23, in a pair of non-conference matches in Buffalo, New York. EC opens the tri-match at 1:00 p.m. against Division II opponent Daemen. The Purple and Gold wrap up the day against host Medaille at 3:00 p.m.