ALTOONA, Pa. – The Hilbert College men's volleyball team returned to AMCC Crossover action today.  The Hawks dropped a 3-set loss to Penn State Altoona before suffering a straight set defeat at the hands of Thiel College in the Alder Center.

THE BASICS

• Final Scores  Penn State Altoona  25, 25, 25   |   Hilbert  15, 14, 20
• Final Score:  Thiel 25, 27, 25   |  Hilbert 20, 25, 15
• Location:  Alder Center | Altoona, Pa.
• Records:   Lions 6-6, 3-1 AMCC  |  Hilbert 1-13, 0-6 AMCC  |  Thiel 3-11, 2-2 AMCC

HIGHLIGHTS ON THE DAY

Brad Converse finished the day with a 3.33 kps average after collecting 20 kills (.133).  Austin Chandler averaged 5.33 assists per set while Luis Retamar led with 2.17 digs per set.  Nick Diello earned three solo blocks and earned a block assist as Chandler went two-for-two in solo blocks and block assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED - ALTOONA

• The Hawks built a 6-4 lead in the opening set, fell behind and then pulled within one (11-12) off a Converse kill.   The Lions stretched their control to 21-13 and then rolled to the 25-15 victory.  Hilbert earned 11 of their 15 points off kills, serve aces (1) and blocks (2).
• The hosts built a commanding 10-3 lead in the second set and extended it to 20-11 before Dylan Suter earned his first kill of the set.  The Lions earned four of their final points, taking a 25-14 win. Converse picked up three kills, Chandler two and Suter as well as Levcik added one kill each.
• Suter and Chandler were each credited with a kill which set the 4-4 score at the start of the third set.  The Lions went on an 8-2 run before they served into the net and then were whistled for a bad set which pulled Hilbert closer, 12-8. Altoona extended their hold (20-11) before claiming the set/match victory (25-20).  Converse and Levcik earned Hilbert's final three points of the set – Converse with two (service ace and kill) and Levcik will a kill.

GAME NOTES ALTOONA

• Hilbert finished match with 19 kills (.013), 27 points, three service aces, five blocks, 17 assists and 23 digs.
• Brad Converse led the Hawks with nine kills, Austin Chandler finished with 13 assists, Ryan Levcik and Luis Retamar led with five digs and Nick Diello earned two solo blocks in the three set match.
• Altoona earned 39 kills (.313), 53 points, seven service aces, seven blocks, 37 assists and 33 digs.
• Jared Bodisch led with 13 kills and nine digs, Conner Baker was credited with 26 assists and Philip Silva added two solo blocks and one block assist in the win.

HOW IT HAPPENED - THIEL

• Levcik's opening set kill lifted the Hawks to their only lead in set one.  Hilbert stayed with the Tomcats the entire match, never trailing by more than three points.  The Hawks knotted the game at 13-13 fueled by a Converse kill and a pair of Thiel errors which forced a Tomcat timeout.  Theil crawled to a 20-16 margin and earned the 25-20 victory.  Converse earned two points off kills and Marcus Wloch added one kill in the final run for the Hawks.
• The Hawks trailed twice early in the second set but grabbed the lead at 5-4 and maintained control until they were forced to call a timeout, trailing 13-14. Converse was credited with a service ace and Marcus Wloch with a kill in that run on the scoreboard.  The Hawks posted three straight points, regaining the lead, and extended it to 21-17.  The Tomcats knotted the game again at 24-24, then again at 25-all before they closed the set with back-to-back kills for the two-point win.
• Hilbert found themselves down 12-3 in the third set, having earned only one point off a Converse kill.  The Hawks pulled within nine points (10-19) and inched closer (14-23) off a Nick Diello service ace.  The Tomcats secured a 25-15 set/match victory.

 GAME NOTES THIEL

• Hilbert finished match with 24 kills (.038), 32 points, four service aces, four blocks, 20 assists and 35 digs.
• Brad Converse led the Hawks with 11 kills, two service aces and shared game-high honors with Luis Retamar with eight digs each., Austin Chandler finished with 19 assists.
• Thiel earned 42 kills (.323), 52 points, three  service aces, seven blocks, 37 assists and 31 digs.
• Thiel had three players notch double digit kills with JC Govannucci leading the way with 11. 

UP NEXT

Hilbert has a week to prepare for their next AMCC crossover match.  The Hawks will host Mount Aloysius and Geneva next Saturday, March 5.  The Hawks and Mounties will battle at 12 noon; Mount Aloysius will square off against Geneva at 2:30 pm and the day closes with the Hawks and Geneva facing off at 5 pm in the Hafner Recreation Center.