ERIE, Pennsylvania - January 31, 2026 - Hiram wrapped up the AMCC/PAC Crossover with a five-set win over Penn State Altoona and a three-set loss to Penn State Behrend, moving the team's overall record to 2-2. All four of the team's contests have come against AMCC opposition.

Match 1 Recap

Hiram overcame Penn State Altoona in a five-set thriller to open the afternoon. Sets one (25-19)  and four (26-24) went to Altoona, while sets two (25-21) and three (25-13) went to the Terriers. The Terriers won in thrilling fashion with a close fifth set score of 15-13; Penn State Altoona saved three match points in the fourth set before Hiram regained its form and held on in the fifth frame.

The match turned heavily in the Terriers favor in the third set, when the team totaled 16 kills and just one attack error (.577 hitting percentage) during that span. Kekoa Tani and Derek Chiang combined for 10 kills in the commanding set win, lifting Hiram to a 2-1 lead in the match.

Penn State Altoona turned a 24-21 deficit in the fourth set into a 26-24 win, setting up a winner-take-all fifth set at a neutral location for both teams. In that final set, the teams traded points until the score stood at 13-13, when Hiram delivered in the biggest moment and won the next two points on a pair of opposing attack errors.

The Terriers did well offensively, scoring 61 kills on a .238 percentage total. Tani led the team with a career-high 14 kills on 34 total attempts. Derek Chiang starred in the matchup, recording 13 kills on a .476 average, while also chipping in six total blocks and three aces. Gavin Stewart stepped up, too, totaling eight kills on 22 attempts. 

Match 2 Recap

The Terriers fell in the last match of the three-game weekend against Penn State Behrand. The terriers fell in three sets against a team it has now faced twice in a span of 11 days: 25-17, 25-19, 25-14.

The Terriers had a strong defensive performance, recording 41 digs. Tani had eight digs, while Dakotah Welsh had seven.

First-year Liam Dwyer led the team in kills with six, hitting a .385. Darren Chiang recorded 11 assists, while getting two kills on three attempts. 

What's Next

Hiram will next travel to Alliance, OH on Tuesday to face Mount Union at 7 p.m.