3/26/2007 - (New Paltz, NY) - While the 2007 Men's Volleyball season ended for Mount Saint Vincent on Monday night with a 3-0 loss to NECVA Metro foe, SUNY New Paltz, Head Coach Tom Callahan and company couldn't help but leave the New Paltz gym with feel-good emotions after a job well done during the 2007 campaign. After an 8-17 finish a year ago, the Dolphins proved to be one of the most improved programs across the NECVA, and concluded the '07 season with a respectable 13-16 overall record, an outstanding achievement considering the Mount's ambitious schedule. Even on Monday night, while the Mount was swept for the second time during a seven-day span by New Paltz, the Dolphins proved to be a formidable foe for the Hawks, and they were even able to generate a measure of excitement over who would finish the season as the Mount's leader in total kills ... a race that literally went right down to the wire.

Junior Arnold Ross registered nine kills to finish the 2007 season as the Mount Saint Vincent team leader with 306 total kills, but the Dolphins lost to SUNY New Paltz, 3-0 on Monday night during a match played at New Paltz. Mount aint Vincent finishes the 2007 season 13-16 after an 8-17 finish a year ago. Ross edged T.J. Pufahl and Dan Williams for the Dolphin lead in kills as they finished with 305 and 303 kills, respectively.

The Dolphin who emerged as the Mount's leader in kills for the season was ultimately junior Arnold Ross (Wilton, ME/Mount Blue HS), who had nine kills to go with seven digs on Monday night and finished the season with an outstanding 306 total kills. By virtue of a six-kill performance, sophomore T.J. Pufahl (Bethpage, NY/Bethpage HS) finished the season second on the team with 305 kills. Senior Dan Williams (Brick Township, NJ/St. Rose) had a nine-kill night to go with eight digs to finish the season with 303 total kills. The 914 kills between the trio accounted for 79% of the Mount's total kills this season, and marked for the first time in at least five years that the Mount Saint Vincent Men's Volleyball team has had three players register 300 kills or more during the same season.

But the effort Monday night was not quite enough as the Dolphins were pesky during every game, losing 30-25, 30-22, and 30-27 as their service game proved to be the Dolphin downfall. Mount Saint Vincent registered an uncharacteristic 17 service errors during a difficult night at the serving line, and combined with a .087 attack percentage, the Mount was unable to overcome a solid effort by New Paltz, who finishes the 2007 season in second place in the NECVA Metro Division.

Also having outstanding matches for the Mount were freshman Rob Hockenjos (West Hempstead, NY/West Hempstead HS), who had a team-high 14 digs, and sophomore Chris Dotoratos (Bronx, NY/Salesian) registered 28 assists.

With only one senior set to graduate as Dan Williams ends his Mount Saint Vincent career after a tremendous four years at the Mount, optimism is high that the rebuilding effort engineered by Callahan will continue into 2008, and a return to the post-season may very well be in the cards next season.