CANTON, N.Y.  – The Hilbert College Women's Volleyball team opened the North Country Classic tonight with a repeat victory over SUNY Canton prior to suffering a neutral-site loss to Plattsburgh State in the Roos Gym.
 
With the win over Canton, and after only eight contests this early in the season, Hilbert matched the team's total victories from 2022,   

Natalie Ruhlmann was very productive on defense, collecting 16 digs each match for a 4.57 dps average.

THE BASICS

• Final Score:  Hilbert 25, 25, 22, 25  |  Canton 19, 14, 25, 21
• Final Score:  Plattsburgh State 25, 25, 26 | Hilbert 23, 9, 24
• Location:  Roos House | SUNY Canton
• Records:   Hilbert  4-5 |  SUNY Canton 1-7  |  Plattsburgh State 5-2

HOW IT HAPPENED - SUNY Canton 

• Hilbert, trailing 8-10, were gifted four points from Canton while stacking on a trio off their own skills, to build a 15-10 lead.  The Hawks were on fire the rest of the way, earning their seven final points off multiple kills and service aces.
• The Hawks continued to roll in the second set, building a 10-3 lead and stretched the margin from 18-10 to the finish line for the win.
• Hilbert had to play catch-up in the third set, falling behind 10-5. The Hawks rallied and forced a 22-all score before giving up the final two points off receiving errors.
• The fourth set was competitive.  Hilbert held a two-point lead (10-8), played through two more knotted scores and then put the match away with six straight points fueled off of three kills, and back-to-back service aces.
• Maria Spinelli recorded nine kills with only one hitting error (.471), added nine digs, one solo block and two block assists, while Michaela Rice led with 11 kills and four block assists. 
• Four different Hawks finished with double digit digs, led by Natalie Ruhlmann and Jessee Jonathan's 16 each.  Jonathan also recorded 27 assists. Jenna Revak added six kills (0 errors), and 12 digs as Kara Valvo chipped in 10 digs and led with three service aces.

HOW IT HAPPENED – Plattsburgh State 

• Plattsburgh and Hilbert traded points early in the first set.  The Cardinals slowly pulled away for the win, limiting the Hawks to no more than one point at a time.
• Hilbert was down 19-3 before falling in a double-digit defeat in the second set.
• The Hawks rebounded in the third set.  Hilbert jumped on top, withstood the Cardinal rally and maintained control on the score board through a 23-18 lead.  Plattsburgh pulled within one point (23-22) and then stacked the final four points on the scoreboard for the sweep.
• Michaela Rice finished with six kills, Natalie Ruhlmann lifted 16 digs, Jessee Jonathan recorded two service aces, and Maria Spinelli as well as Jazzelle McLean were each credited with one solo block each.

UP NEXT

Hilbert (4-5) remains in the North Country for their two matches tomorrow hosted by SUNY Potsdam.  The Hawks will face Potsdam at 12 noon and then conclude the Classic with another neutral-site match against Northern Vermont University – Johnson at 2pm inside Maxcy Field House.