LATROBE, Pennsylvania - April 12, 2024 - Hiram played well in the key moments on Friday evening at the Robert S. Carey Center, closing out each of its three sets against Saint Vincent to advance to the AMCC Tournament Championship for the second time in program history: 27-25, 25-19, 26-24.
The Terriers, who earned a bye in the first round of the tournament after finishing second in the conference during the regular season, will now play #1 Saint Vincent in the championship on Saturday at 3 p.m. The winner of that match will earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
Hiram found its form when it needed it the most, winning five of the last seven points in the first set, four of the last five points in the second set, and six of the last eight points in the third set. The team erased a deficit in each of the three sets to pull out a convincing victory against a Tomcats roster that had previously pushed the Terriers to five sets.
Kyle Martini recorded his third game of the season with 20+ kills, tallying 20 kills to lead all student-athletes in the match. Martini also led his team in service aces (two) and digs (11), while Garrett Scheidegger (two blocks) and Matthew Albano (39 assists) continued to build upon their own strengths.
It was a match that came down to the wire in each set, most notably in the first and third sets, when Thiel led 23-22 and 24-23, respectively.
In the first set, Hiram's balanced offense was on full display, with Martini, Connor Tilton and Scheidegger picking up kills on the team's final three points to win, 27-25. In the third set, Scheidegger and Martini had kills before a Thiel attack error earned the Terriers a 26-24 win in the third set and straight-set victory in the match.
It marks the program's fourth victory in the AMCC Tournament all-time, three of which have come in straight sets. With the upcoming match against the Bearcats, Hiram will be facing a #1 seed in the AMCC Tournament for the first time.
That championship battle will commence at 3 p.m. on Saturday inside the Robert S. Carey Center, with live streaming and live stats provided.
