POTSDAM, N.Y.—For the third straight season, the SUNY Potsdam men's volleyball team (17-12, 3-4) has qualified for the postseason. The Bears earned the fifth seed in the inaugural New England Volleyball Conference Tournament and will travel to fourth seeded SUNY Poly (13-15, 4-3) for a 6 p.m. showdown Tuesday night.
 
Potsdam matched the program single-season record with 17 victories this year and reached the best winning percentage (.586). The Bears also tied the team mark with a seven-match win streak midseason. Potsdam was second in the NEVC kills (1008), assists (93) and service aces (189) and led the conference in digs (962), blocks (164) and blocks-per-set (1.66).
 
Sophomore outside hitter Duncan Tenhagen (Buffalo, N.Y./West Seneca West) led the Bears offense with 257 kills this season and was fifth in the NEVC in the category. He was fourth in the conference and led the team with 39 service aces. Tenhagen was second in digs for Potsdam with 137 and added 18 blocks. Junior middle hitter Matt Kilinski (Greenfield Center, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) continued to be a force for Potsdam, registering 224 kills and leading the Bears and NEVC with 69 blocks. He also contributed 28 aces and 67 digs. Senior middle hitter Sean Murray (Grand Island, N.Y./Grand Island) recorded a career-high 119 kills along with 15 service aces and 39 digs. He was right behind Kilinski and third in the NEVC with 67 blocks. Freshman outside hitter Darius Dorsey-Rhule (Elmont, N.Y./Elmont Memorial) proved to be strong addition to the lineup and earned an NEVC Rookie of the Week honor during the season. He had 110 kills, 11 assists, three aces, 80 digs and 22 blocks, while playing in 29 matches with 19 starts. Graduate student opposite Zaire Rogers (Cheektowaga, N.Y./Cheektowaga) saw injuries limit his time on the court this season, but was still effective. He had 52 kills, 49 assists, eight aces, 102 digs and 14 blocks. Senior captain and setter Michael Anderson (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) had a personal-best 449 assists with 19 kills, 11 aces, 102 digs and three blocks. Senior libero Tom Shemik (Grand Island, N.Y./Grand Island) led the Bears with 156 digs. He also had 19 kills and 14 service aces.
 
Senior middle hitter Cam McGarry (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) compiled career-highs in kills (38), assists (17), service aces (8), digs (38) and blocks (19). Freshman setter Alex Lombardo (East Hampton, N.Y./East Hampton) was the second Bear to earn NEVC Rookie of the Week honors during the season. He was second on the team in assists with 312. He also had 20 kills, 19 service aces 54 digs and 17 blocks. Senior outside hitter Sam Day (Phelps, N.Y./Midlakes) also battled injuries, but managed to contribute 11 kills and 21 digs.
 
Six other freshmen, outside hitter Jesse Schwartz (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland), outside hitter Calum Anderson (East Hampton, N.Y./East Hampton), middle hitter Connor McGovern (Henrietta, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta), middle hitter Benson Jovel-Truong (Latham, N.Y./Shaker), middle hitter Jack Orrange (North Tonawanda, N.Y./North Tonawanda) and outside hitter Dylan Murray (Grand Island, N.Y./Grand Island), showed promise in key moments.
 
SUNY Poly is fifth in the NEVC in kills (890) and third in digs (873) and blocks (127). Outside hitter Jason Aubrey leads the Wildcats offensively with 248 kills and 24 aces. He's posted 109 digs and 29 blocks as well. Kohei Clark has contributed 187 kills, 38 aces, 116 digs and 17 blocks. Peter Gottler has 144 kills, 22 aces 79 digs and 31 blocks. James Mion has been a force at the net with 65 blocks along with 143 kills, 28 aces and 40 digs. Jordan Weir has proven to be another key part of the of SUNY Poly's defense with 60 blocks. He also has 109 kills and 15 aces. Setter Nathan Farham is second in the conference with 697 assists.
 
The Wildcats won the teams' only meeting this season, 3-1 (25-13, 21-25, 25-22, 25-20) in Utica on March 25. Tenhagen led the Bears with 17 kills and 110 aces. Aubrey paced Poly with 16 kills.
 
This marks the third consecutive year the teams will meet in the postseason, with the home team winning the previous two matches. The Wildcats won the 2022 showdown 3-2 (23-25 25-17, 20-25, 25-23, 15-13) in Utica and the Bears swept Poly in Maxcy Field House a year ago (25-23, 25-20, 25-23).
 
The winner heads to top-seeded and nationally ranked No. 11 Nichols College (22-4, 7-0) on Thursday for the semifinals.
 
Links for the contest's live stats and video can be found here when they are made available.