HIRAM, Ohio - April 9, 2026 - Hiram men's volleyball saw its impressive playoff run come to an end on Thursday evening, as the Terriers gave the No. 1 team in the conference, Thiel College, all it could handle before falling short in a three-set loss.

It cuts the Terriers' season short despite a breakout win over Grove City in the PAC Tournament quarterfinals on Tuesday. Hiram had earned a spot in the PAC Semifinals for the second straight season, but the defending conference champions progressively got better and protected their home court.

Hiram made a statement early on, jumping out to a 4-1 lead in the first set behind a pair of kills by Cullen Sivak, as well as a kill and ace by Dakotah Welsh. Thiel then responded with a 7-1 run, and held a lead for the remainder of the set to take a 1-0 lead. Kekoa Tani, the reigning PAC Newcomer of the Week, rattled off a pair of aces to provide a late spark in the set.

The Terriers again were in a groove to start the second set, grabbing a 4-2 advantage courtesy of more kills by Welsh and Sivak. Thiel later went on runs of 7-0 and 6-1 to fuel another come-from-behind effort and take a 2-0 advantage.

The third set belonged to the Tomcats from the first whistle, as the home team jumped out to a double-digit lead and didn't budge through match point. With the win, Thiel earned a spot in the PAC Championship for the second straight season; the Tomcats will host the third-seeded Chatham Cougars on Saturday, with a spot in the NCAA Tournament at stake.

For Hiram, Colin Brooks led the charge with six kills; Sivak and Welsh chipped in four kills apiece. Tani added 12 assists and Welsh had a team-high seven digs to fill out the box score.

The Terriers have a lot to look forward to moving forward, with a talented mix of student-athletes set to return to the roster in 2027. In the meantime, the team will begin offseason training and continue to build momentum moving forward as a member of the Presidents' Athletic Conference.