GREENVILLE, Pa. – The Hilbert College men's volleyball team suffered a season-opening defeat to Thiel College tonight on the road.  The Tomcats, who celebrated their Senior Night prior to the start of the match, swept the Hawks in three straight sets.

THE BASICS              

• Final Score:  Thiel 3 Hilbert 0  (25-12, 25-10, 25-10)
• Location:   Beeghly Gym, Thiel College
• Records: Thiel 1-6 (1-4 AMCC), Hilbert 0-1 (0-1 AMCC)

HIGHLIGHTS

• Dylan Suter and Marcus Wloch led the Hawks with four kills each, as Wloch was the only Hawk to finish in the positive attack percent (.444).
• Stephen Houghton quarterbacked the Hawks with six of the team's eight assists and earned a team-high six digs.
• Matthew Domagala, William Argy, Suter and Wloch were each credited with a block assist.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Dylan Suter's kill on the first rally of the game gave the Hawks their first point of the new season and a 1-0 lead.  Hilbert held a 2-1 lead before the Tomcats strung together multiple runs, slowly pulling away.  The Hawks came within two points on three occasions, but the host's effort at the net (12 kills in the opening set) lifted them to victory.
• Kody Harrison was credited with his second career kill in the middle set which helped Hilbert knot the score (4-4) early.  The Hawks struggled on serve return and gave Thiel seven of their 25 points off service aces.  Marcus Wloch earned the royal and white's only other offensive point in the second set.
• The Tomcats collected seven more service aces in the final set claiming the match victory.  Hilbert earned three points at the net with Suter, Wloch and Domagala each credited with one kill a piece.

GAME NOTES

• The Hawks earned 10 kills, 14 attack errors (-.051), earned 16 digs, eight assists and two total blocks.
• Thiel finished the match with 33 kills (.383), 29 assists, 33 digs and one solo block.

WHAT'S NEXT

Hilbert will host their home opener this Friday, March 26th when they welcome Penn State Altoona back to the Hafner Recreation Center for a 7pm first serve.  The Hawks will then battle St. Vincent College the next afternoon at 2pm in Hamburg.

As a reminder, fans are not permitted to enter the campus for the contest but can follow the game via Live Stats and Live Video.  Visit the team's game schedule page for the links.