Geneva, NY - The Hartwick Men's Volleyball team took off to Hobart for a 2-day tournament, playing their first game against the Buffalo State Bengals
 
Match 1
THE BASICS

• Final Score: Buffalo State 3, Hartwick 0
• Location: Geneva, NY | Bristol Gym
• Records: Buffalo State (2-0, 0-0 Liberty League) Hartwick (0-5, 0-0 DIII Independent) 

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Hawks headed to Geneva, NY to play their first of a 3-game tournament against the Buffalo State Bengals. The first set kicked off with a serve from Buffalo, a 3-kill run setting the Hawks behind. Anthony Ruggiero (Schenectady, NY) led the offensive charge, collecting 4 of the 5 team kills from the pin, setter Nate Roorbach (East Aurora, NY) paving the way. The set ended in a 9-point deficit, the Hawks trailing behind with a 16-25 loss in the first set.  
Hartwick struggled to find their footing in the second, 12 attack errors leading to a finalized set score of 13-25. However, Buffalo State found themselves shaky from behind the service line with a team total of 6 service errors. Despite the deficit, Roorbach began to find his stride in the second set, assisting Ruggiero in 4 more kills, feeding another 2 out to Ethan McCaw (Ilion, NY).
The Hawks responded heavily in the third set, pushing the Bengals to go point-for-point in a hard-fought race to 25. Pedro Martins (Sâo Paulo, Brazil) saw some action on the net, downing 2 kills in the third and 4 overall in the match- the second highest of the day. The Bengals finished with just 4 points over the Hawks, the set ending in a score of 21-25. Roorbach totaled 18 assists running the offense, along with recording the highest number of digs (4) throughout the contest.
 
Match 2
THE BASICS

• Final Score: Hobart 3, Hartwick 0
• Location: Geneva, NY | Bristol Gym
• Records: Hobart (3-1, 0-0 UVC) Hartwick (0-5, 0-0 DIII Independent) 

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
On the second day of their tournament, the Hawks took on Hobart in their first three sets of the day. In the first, they fought hard, earning 17 points against the opposing Herons. Ruggiero and McCaw went even on their kills, notching 4 each from the pin.
The Hawks saw some more action in the second, Carl DeDominicis (Franklin, NY) inching bringing the team up by 3 points in the beginning of the set with 2 clutch service aces. The team, recording 8 total kills with the help from Roorbach, went point for point with the Herons until the very end. Martins managed to down his first kill of the day, with McCaw leading the offense adding 4 more to his sheet. The Hawks ended the set only 4 points down from Hobart, ending it in a close 21-25.
The third set was Hartwick's highest scoring of the match, the loss being only a 3-point deficit. Anthony Ruggiero's performance at the net helped bring the Blue and White close to victory with 6 kills in the third set, combining for a total of 13. Ethan McCaw led the team defensively with 9 digs, while DeDominicis and Ruggiero proved helpful from behind the service line with 2 aces each.
 
Match 3
THE BASICS

• Final Score: Misericordia 3, Hartwick 0
• Location: Geneva, NY | Bristol Gym
• Records: Misericordia (1-2, 0-0 MAC) Hartwick (0-5, 0-0 DIII Independent) 

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
In their last match of the tournament, Hartwick and Misericordia raced to three sets, the Hawks ultimately coming up short. Ruggiero tallied the most kills in the first, Colby Myers (Ilion, NY) helping the set with an assist. Hartwick hit 10 attack errors, falling 8 behind Misercordia's 2, resulting in a 17-25 loss in the first.
The Blue and White fought back in the second set, Martins going on a 3-point service run. DeDominicis and Xander Steadham (Cobleskill, NY) contributed with a kill each from the middle, helping Hartwick hold on throughout the duration of the set. The Hawks managed to come back from a 4-point shortage towards the end but ultimately fell short with a set final of 21-25.
Misericordia held Wick at 19-25 in the final, hitting a .321 against the Hawks. Setter Nate Roorbach tallied 20 assists along with 5 digs, defensively tying with Ruggiero- who also dominated on offense with 5 service aces and 13 kills.
 
About Hartwick College:
Hartwick, often referred to as The Life Balance College, is a private liberal arts and sciences institution in Oneonta, N.Y. Through its distinctive FlightPath approach, Hartwick blends academic excellence, career preparation and an active campus life to help students achieve a balanced and fulfilling college experience. With transparent tuition and a focus on health and wellness, Hartwick prepares students for lifelong success—both professionally and personally.