HAMBURG, N.Y.  – The Hilbert College Men's Volleyball team earned a thrilling 3-set victory over Hiram College this afternoon and improved their chances for a post-season bid to the AMCC tournament.
 
The Hawks outlasted Hiram in two very evenly played sets (28-26, 25-21) before recording the 25-18 final set victory.
 
With two game remaining against the two top-ranked teams in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference, Hilbert will need to finish in the North Division's top three schools  in order to advance to the AMCC tournament.
  
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
The Hawks earned 40 points off 27 kills (.236) four service aces, and nine blocks.  Hilbert was also credited with 25 assists and 28 digs in the three-set match against the Terriers.

Hiram recorded 45 kills (.160), three service aces and three blocks which totaled their 45 team points.    

• Hilbert jumped out to an early lead in the opening set and maintained control on the score board until the Terriers tied it up at 15-all.  Both teams took turns knotting the score until Hiram went up 19-17 and 21-19.  The Hawks benefited from three consecutive gift points from the guests to go up 22-21.  Each team traded serves and with Hiram leading 25-24, the Hawks won the game off four straight Terrier mistakes.  Hilbert was credited with six total blocks, six kills and two service aces in the opening set.
• In what started as a repeat of the first set, the Hawks and Terriers traded points throughout most of the second set.  Both teams forced nine tied scores with the final at 14-all.  The Hawks created a five-point difference (20-15) and rode to the 25-21 win.  Hilbert earned eight kills, and one service ace in the middle set.
• Hilbert pulled away early in the final set, taking an 11-6 lead, stretched it to 20-12 and then finished the match with a 25-18 win.  12 kills, two total blocks and one service ace lifted Hilbert. 

 
Chris Laboy had a fantastic game earning seven kills in 11 attempts (.545), one solo and three assisted blocks in addition to leading the Hawks with eight digs.  Brad Converse shared game-high honors with a pair of Terriers as they all posted nine kills (.364) while Converse also record one solo and two block assists.   
 
Dylan Suter patrolled the net collecting three kills, five block assists and one solo block in the victory.  
 
Austin Chandler added 22 assists and a team-best two service aces.
 
UP NEXT

Hilbert hosts their final home game of the season on Wednesday, April 5th when they welcome    No. 1 Penn State Behrend (North Division) to the Hafner Recreation Center.  The Hawks conclude their regular season schedule with a road game at No. 1 Geneva College (South Division) next Saturday, April 8th. 

North Division
Penn State Behrend, 11-1
Thiel College, 8-3
Hilbert College, 6-5
Medaille University, 4-7
Wells College , 1-10

South Division
Geneva, 10-1
Hiram, 5-6
St. Vincent, 7-4
Penn State Altoona, 4-8
Mount Aloysius, 0-11

The 2023 Men's Volleyball Post-Season Tournament:
Tournament Format
a. The tournament shall be a six-team crossover, single elimination format.
b. The first round will be played at 7p on the Tuesday immediately following the last regular season conference match. Opponents shall be: 3 south at 2 north 3 north at 2 south
c. The first round winners shall advance to the championship round, hosted by the #1 overall seed. If the #1 overall seed is from the north, their semifinal opponent shall be the winner of 2S/3N and if the #1 overall seed is from the south, their semifinal opponent shall be the winner of 2N/3S. The #2 overall seed shall play the winner of the remaining pairing.

Semifinal matches will be played on Friday as follows:
4:30pm: #1 vs. opponent as noted above
7:00pm: #2 vs. opponent as noted above
b. The winners of each semifinal game shall advance to the championship round on Saturday at 3:00pm