New Paltz, N.Y. - February 25, 2015 - After dropping the first two sets, the Springfield College men's volleyball team rallied for a five-set win at New Paltz on Wednesday evening.  The Pride took the match by the set scores of 17-25, 19-25, 25-20, 25-23, 15-8.

The Pride, which was ranked eighth in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III Men's Coaches Poll, improved to 9-5 on the season.  The Hawks entered the night as the nation's fourth-ranked team.

Ryan Malone (Chicopee, Mass.) and Ricardo Padilla Ayala (San Juan, Puerto Rico) carried the offense load for the Pride in the win.  Malone totaled 13 kills, hitting .400, to go along with three aces while Padilla Ayala delivered 13 kills at a .500 clip.  Joseth Irizarry Feliciano (Adjuntas, Puerto Rico) controlled the net with seven blocks and Keaton Pieper (Dallas, Texas) registered 39 assists and three aces in leading the visitors to a .383 hitting percentage.

It was a gritty performance from the Pride, who lost the first two sets after combining for just 14 kills while being aced eight times. 

Springfield turned things around in the third set, a frame that featured 12 ties and five lead changes.  With the score even at 15-all, New Paltz committed consecutive errors to give the Pride a lead that it would not relinquish as the Pride took the set, 25-20.  Bolstered by four kills from Padilla Ayala, Springfield managed to hit .500 in the frame and benefited from eight New Paltz miscues from the end line.

The Pride carried that momentum into the fourth, taking an early 6-2 lead after Pieper's serve clipped the tape for an ace.  The Pride pushed its lead to 21-16 on a Irizarry Feliciano kill, only to have the hosts storm back with an 8-2 push to knot the set at 23 all.  Malone manufacted a kill to make it set point, and then teammed with Irizarry Feliciano for a huge block on the pin to force the fifth set.  Malone and Padilla Ayala combined for 10 kills on 14 errorless swings in the game, while Irizarry Feliciano notched five blocks.

Four quick errors by the Hawks allowed the Pride to race out to a 6-2 advantage in the fifth.  The hosts answered back to make it a 6-4 ballgame, however Malone hammered a kill and followed up with his third ace of the night to put the Pride ahead 8-4 at the switch.  New Paltz would get no closer than three as the Pride completed its comeback bid with a 15-8 fifth-set victory.

Springfield will play again on Saturday evening when it hosts Emmanuel at 7:00 p m.