ERIE, Pa. – The Hilbert College Men's Volleyball team dropped a 3-0 AMCC road match to Penn State Behrend in the Junker Center tonight.
The Hawks (8-14) moved into a three-way tie for 5th/6th place with Penn State Altoona and Geneva College with a 4-4 record.
The Hawks recorded 25 kills and four service aces along with four blocks while the Lions collected 41 kills, two aces and seven blocks in the 25-20, 25-22, 25-23 match. Both teams committed 14 service errors tonight.
Brad Converse shared game-high honors with 12 kills but was the only player on the court on either side of the net who recorded a double double with a game-high 12 digs. Hilbert finished the match with a .073 attack percentage and 39 digs.
Austin Chandler finished with 23 assists.
- Hilbert started the set fast maintaining a lead through a 9-8 score. Behrend stacked a pair and took a one-point lead. The Hawks evened the match two more times, but then had to play catch up the rest of the way. The hosts and Hawks were defending above the net altering attacks, but the Lions held on for a 25-20 victory
- Each team continued to play above the net as Behrend took a 2-0 lead off consecutive blocks. Tyler Hassell's solo block knotted the set at 2-0 and play continued to feature side outs. Hilbert put three points on the board and built a 14-12 advantage until the Lions used a 5-1 run and forced a Hilbert timeout with an 18-19 score. Alex Overhoff and Converse recorded two kills in the Hawks final four points in the 25-22 loss.
- It took three tries before Hilbert was able to break the tie and take their first lead at 8-7. Eight combined service errors between both teams led to a 12-11 Hilbert lead. The Hawks were able to hold the lead until Behrend went up 19-18. Nikolas D'Andrea's swing forced a 19-19 score, Overhoff's solo block and Converse's kill forced a Behrend timeout with Hilbert leading 21-20. A pair of Hilbert service errors added to the Lions' points off swings and forced a Hilbert timeout just before the Lions took the 25-23 match victory.
Hilbert closes the regular season with a tri match in Beaver Falls, Pa. Saturday, April 6th. The Hawks are in a must-win situation when they battle the hosts, Geneva College (4-4) in a 12 pm contest before they face Chatham University in a 2 pm non-conference match.
The top six teams advance to the AMCC postseason tournament which begins Tuesday, April 9th. Penn State Altoona holds the tie breaker over Hilbert should they finish in a tie.
