PITTSFORD, N.Y. – After returning to Rochester for Day 2 of Division III volleyball competition, the Hilbert men's team suffered a pair of straight set defeats but they put up a good fight at the end of the day.

Brad Converse averaged 10 kills per match as Austin Chandler continued to quarterback the team with double figure assists today. 

THE BASICS

• Final Scores:  Juniata 25, 25, 25   I   Hilbert  9, 13, 8

          SJFC  25, 25, 25 I Hilbert 20, 8, 20

• Location:  Manning and Napier Gym, St. John Fisher College
• Records:   Juniata  1-2  I  Hawks 0-4 I St. John Fisher  2-0

HIGHLIGHTS JUNIATA

• Brad Converse posted  his first double figure kill performance after knocking down 10 kills.  Austin Chandler led the Hawks with all four service aces, with a team-high four digs and was credited with 11 assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Juniata was in total control in the first set building a 10-4 lead, then extended it to 20-5 before securing the 25-9 win.
• Converse earned two kills and Chandler an ace in the Hawks final four points of the set.
• The Hawks were in the second set early, always within striking distance. Two Converse kills helped set the 4-6 score.
• Juniata then went on a six point run before they served into the net;  they added two more points in that run which built a 14-5 margin.
• Trailing 19-7, Hilbert put together a mini-run, started by Nick Diello's kill and finished with Chandler's triple service ace performance which elevated Hilbert into double digit points (19-12).  Juniata closed the game with a kill to claim the 25-13 win.
• Converse again opened the third set with Hilbert's first point, evening the score at 1-1.
• Joe Grisanti and Dylan Suter gave Hilbert their 3rd point off a block assist but they didn't score again until Juniata stretched the score to 16-4.
• The Hawks earned one more point in the set before dropping the match 25-8.

 
GAME NOTES JUNIATA

• Hilbert earned 11 kills (-.156), 16 points, four service aces, one block, 11 assists and 10 digs.
• Juniata earned 39 kills (.453), 54 points, 10 service aces, five blocks, 36 assists and 29 digs.

HIGHLIGHTS SJFC

• Converse led with 10 kills after finishing the match with a .231 hitting percentage and Chandler added 12 assists.  Suter chipped in a service ace as well as one block solo and two block assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Hilbert hung around the entire set, staying within striking distance with every rally. Trailing 11-9, the Hawks knotted the game 12-12 and took their first lead 13-12. After several back-and-forth scores, Hilbert built their largest lead 16-14 off a Converse kill.
• The Cardinals responded with three points earned at the net and from their service line before they extended the margin to 20-18.  Fisher scored their final five points off a pair of kills and three service aces for the 25-20 victory.
• The hosts didn't waste time in the second set as they served their way to the 25-7 win.  Diello earned one kill and Suter and Chandler combined for the Hawks only other earned point.  Fisher exploded with nine service aces though they added five service errors to the Hawks side of the scoreboard.
• Converse posted four kills for the Hawks by the time the score as 11-9 in favor of Fisher.
• Then, trailing 20-14, Hilbert went on a mini-run, fueled by two Converse kills, a Grisanti kill and a Suter service ace to set the 22-18 score.  Fisher earned two of their final three points for the 25-20 match score.

GAME NOTES SJFC

• Hilbert earned 12 kills (.067), 16 points, one service ace, three blocks, 12 assists and 13 digs.
• Fisher earned 33 kills (.270), 56 points, 22 service aces, one block, 33 assists and 21 digs.

UP NEXT

Hilbert continues this week with a match at Division II D'Youville College Tuesday, January 18 at 7pm in the College Center Gym.