New Paltz, N.Y.- The Hunter College men's volleyball team split a road trimatch at New Paltz on Saturday. The Hawks  (2-5) started the day with a 3-1 victory over SUNY Poly, but were unable to overcome the host team as they fell in the second match of the day, 2-3. 

Against SUNY Poly, Hunter took command of the court from thee start, claiming the first set with a dominant performance, finishing with a score of 25-14.However, SUNY Poly didn't back down easily. They rallied in the second set, putting up a fierce fight against Hunter's relentless offense. Despite SUNY Poly's efforts, the Hawks maintained their composure, resulting in a closely contested set with SUNY Poly eventually securing a 25-18 win.Determined to reclaim their momentum, the Purple and Gold stormed back in the third set delivering a stellar performance, overpowering SUNY Poly with a score of 25-17. The fourth set witnessed the Hawks' unwavering resolve as Hunter maintained a commanding lead throughout the set, ultimately sealing their victory with a final score of 25-19.

Muhammad Al-Amine Mbaye led the Hawks in the win with 15 kills and three service aces. Demetri Gournelos also stood out with eight kills, three blocks and two aces.  Jimmy Chang had a well rounded performance with seven kills, six digs, and the final ace for Hunter, while Nick Yao led the team with nine digs.

The second match of the day saw a full five sets, with Hunter just being edged out by hosting New Paltz, 3-2.  The Hawks once again started strong, claiming the first set with an impressive display of offensive firepower. Led byAl-Amine Mbaye and Matisse Lee-Maarek, who delivered crucial kills and solid blocks, Hunter secured the set with a score of 25-21. However, New Paltz quickly countered in the second set, as the team leveled the match with a 25-20 win. The third set saw the Purple and Gold regain its momentum, capitalizing on New Paltz's errors to clinch the third set with a score of 25-15, moving one step closer to victory. The fourth set was intense as the two teams battled for victory but New Paltz overwhelmed the Hawks to secure a 25-19 win, forcing the match into a decisive fifth set. In the final set, both teams left everything on the court in a display of sheer grit and determination. Despite Hunter's efforts, New Paltz proved to be the stronger team in the end, clinching the set with a score of 15-11 and securing the hard-fought victory.

Al-Amine Mbaye once again led the Hawks with 18 kills plus three blocks and 11 digs. Lee-Marek added 14 kills of his own in addition to a pair of aces and astounding eight blocks, while Annes Deljanin tacked on another six kills. Sergio Aguado and Chang each had two services aces of their own. Yao again led with 14 digs while Cooper Moran had nine as he paced the Hawks with 43 assists. 

Hunter continues its season on Feb. 24 against St. Joseph's Long Island. First serve is set for 12:00 p.m.