HAMBURG, N.Y. – After dropping the first set, the Hilbert College volleyball team stormed back and earned their first set victory of the season against D'Youville College tonight.  The Hawks added to their win column with a second set, but dropped the final two games and suffered a 3-2 NEAC and Buffalo Cup defeat to their cross-town rivals tonight.

Hilbert fell to 0-6 (0-2 NEAC) on the year, but battled to their first two set victories gaining confidence in the early part of the season. The Spartans improved to 2-0 earning both wins against the Hawks played 14 days apart.

Michael Podgorny gathered 11 kills and nine digs.  Adam Heftka matched Podgorny's attack percentage (.133) with six kills and added 13 assists, four service aces, a pair of blocks and 13 digs.

Nicholas Rice added seven digs and nine assists while David Arlaud chipped in six kills in his rookie season.

D'Youville claimed the opening set, 25-11 but Hilbert fought back in the second, earning a 25-23 victory.  The Hawks took their first led in the set 9-8 thanks to Nathaniel Hyman's solo block.  And trailing by four, 22-18, Adam Heftka scored back-to-back service aces which were followed by a pair of Spartan attack errors to even the score.  Kurtis Maloney earned a kill off a broken play at the net and then secured the 24th Hilbert point off another kill.  The Spartans earned a side-out point and gave the Hawks the match off a service into the net setting the final, 25-23.

Hilbert came out ready to play in the third set and jumped ahead 5-2.  The Hawks held the lead the rest of the way forcing D'Youville to call a timeout at 17-11.  After stretching the lead to 21-14, Hilbert coasted to a 25-17 third set win.

D'Youville opening the fourth ahead 7-3 but didn't hold that lead long.  Hilbert came back and forced a 7-7 tie and hung around for the next three points before the visitors opened up the set winning 25-15 which forced a 5th set.

Hilbert found themselves down 6-4 and called a timeout in the shortened final set.  It stayed a 2-point game through the 8-6 score when both teams traded benches.  The Spartans benefited from two service aces in the 5-0 run, taking a 13-7 lead.  Michael Podgorny cut the score by one with a kill but the Spartans responded with back-to-back points for the match, 15-8.

D'Youville earned 15 points off service aces and gave the Hawks 20 points off service errors.

Hefkta and Hyman earned solo blocks but the Hawks were whistled for eight blocking errors and six ball handling errors.

The volleyball team is idle for the next week as they don't return to NEAC action until February 17.  The Hawks will travel to Lancaster Bible College for their first NEAC crossover weekend.  They will face Penn State Altoona and Lancaster Bible the 17th and Wilson College on the 18th.