SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – February 13, 2022 – Hiram men's volleyball totaled two wins on the afternoon, beating Wittenberg and Wabash, winning the NCAC Showdown. The Terriers won each match by a score of 3-1.

Match #1: Hiram 3, Wittenberg 1

Set one started as a back-and-forth affair and stayed that way until the near end of the set. After a kill from Tom Supan, the Terriers took the slight 10-9 lead as the set reached the double-figure mark. Wittenberg went on a three-point run in the middle portion of the set taking the slight 15-13 lead after a kill from the home team. Late in the set, Hiram picked up seven of eight points posting a 22-18 lead after a Supan service ace. Wittenberg cut the lead to 23-20, but the Terriers captured the final two points, winning 25-20.

Wittenberg stormed off to a 7-3 lead at the beginning of the second set after a kill from Aaron Giorgi. The Tigers lead continued to extend, pushing out to a 15-8 advantage as the middle of the set approached. Dangelo Boehner had a service ace, cutting the lead to 20-17. Wittenberg tallied five of the final six points of the set, with the Tigers evening the match score at one.

Set three started like set one with each team trading points. After a service error from Wittenberg, the score was tied at ten. Five of the next six points went the way of Hiram's, capped off by an Andrew Diaz de Padilla service ace going up 15-13. Late into the set, the score was tied at 20. After an attack error from the Tigers, Hiram scored the 24^th point, followed by a Montero kill, winning the set, 25-23.

After a big run in the middle of the fourth set, Hiram began to pull away. Back-to-back service aces from Supan gave the Terriers the 15-10 lead. Another four-point swing, including two Montero service aces, put Hiram in the driver's seat, leading 20-12. Closing the set and the match were kills from Montero and Supan, with Hiram winning 25-15.

Montero and Supan tallied 15 and 13 kills, the lone Terriers to reach the double-figure mark. Andrew Diaz de Padilla had 33 assists and Cory Fischer totaled 16 digs in the victory.

Match #2 Hiram 3, Wabash 1

Hiram exploded at the start of the second match vs. the Little Giants, going up 11-1 in the first set. The dominance continued as the first set continued with Nathan Cassell and Montero picking up kills with the score now 16-4. Wabash claimed four-straight points as the set continued, but the Terriers lead remained dominant still up 18-11. Closing out the first set, Diaz de Padilla and Montero claimed kills, with Hiram winning 25-15.

Set two started much differently than set one did for both teams. At the start of the second set, five of six points went the way of the Little Giants going up 10-6. Cassell and Supan picked up the eighth and ninth points, but Wabash continued rolling in the set. Four-straight points for the Little Giants had them go up 17-10 with the end of the set in sight. Hiram did score four in a row late, but Wabash's big lead helped with the Little Giants winning, 25-20.

With the score tied at five at the beginning of the third set, Hiram scored four straight, including two Cassell service aces. The lead held steady as the set moved on, with a Supan ace making it 15-9. Back-to-back attack errors from Wabash put the Terriers up 18-10. Hiram scored six of the final seven points of the set going on to win 25-13 after an attack error from the Little Giants.

A small three-point run at the beginning of the fourth set put the Terriers up 8-5 after a Cassell service ace. In the middle portion of the set, Wabash ripped off four-straight points going up 13-11. With the Little Giants leading 16-14, Hiram went on their biggest run of the game. Eight of nine points went the Terriers way that included multiple Wabash errors. While the Little Giants were able to climb back and make it 23-21, Hiram held on for the 25-21 fourth set win.

Montero and Supan again put up double figures in kills with 16 and 11. Diaz de Padilla put up nearly the same amount of assists as he did in game one with 34. Fischer again led the team with digs. Boehner posted a team-high four block assists.

Diaz de Padilla, Montero and Supan were named to the All-Showdown with Hiram capturing the title.

With the two wins, Hiram moves to 6-3 on the year winning four straight.

The team opens Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference play in their next match playing at Geneva on Thursday, Feb. 17 with first serve at 7 p.m.