GREENVILLE, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend men's volleyball team defeated Thiel for the second time season, recording a 3-0 victory in non-conference action on Thursday night.
The Lions (5-13) blanked the Tomcats (1-11) by scores 25-16, 27-25 and 25-15. Earlier this season, Behrend downed Thiel in five sets. Eric Theiss (Plum, PA/Plum) hit a team-best .435 with 11 kills on 23 attempts with just one error. He also added 10 digs to complete the double-double.
Tyler Herrmann (Cranberry Township, PA/Seneca Valley) added 10 kills and nine digs.
Behrend snapped a three-match skid with its third shut-out victory this season.
The serving of Anthony Sprentz (Cranberry Township, PA/Seneca Valley) and Trent Munk (Baden, PA/Ambridge) helped the Lions take a 15-7 lead in the first set. The eight-point lead turned into 10 after consecutive attack errors by the Tomcats at 22-12. A kill from Theiss gave Behrend set point and Josh Oertly (Cochranton, PA/Cochranton) won it with a kill at 25-16.
Thiel started with the early lead in the second. The Lions erased a four-point deficit to take their first lead at 13-12. The set was tied five more time from this point, including 25-all. Once again, Theiss made it set point with a kill and Behrend won on an attack error, 27-25.
The third set was point-for-point in the beginning and Sprentz had 10 consecutive serves to force the Tomcats to take both timeouts during the nine-point run. With a 21-13 lead, Munk knocked down three straight kills and won the match on a service error at 25-15.
Sprentz finished with 31 assists, while Oertly had seven digs, five kills and four blocks.
The Lions return to action on Saturday against Hilbert and Siena Heights. Matches begin at 2 p.m.