ERIE, Pa. – Trenton Munk (Baden, PA/Ambridge) and Eric Theiss (Plum, PA/Plum) each tallied 18 kills to lead Penn State Behrend past Hilbert 3-1 in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) men's volleyball action on Saturday afternoon.
The Lions (6-14, 1-5 AMCC) defeated the Hawks (9-13, 1-4 AMCC) in four sets, winning the first two 25-22, 25-18 and then the fourth set 25-23. Hilbert grabbed the third set, 25-15. Behrend fell to Siena Heights in the nightcap, 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-14).
Munk hit .571 in the first match, only committing two errors, while Theiss posted his second straight double-double with 18 kills and 11 digs. Anthony Sprentz (Cranberry Township, PA/Seneca Valley) dished out 46 assists and had a game-high 17 digs.
The Lions registered 16 kills in the first set, recording a .375 attack percentage as a team to take a 1-0 lead. Behrend were faced with set point three times and won on a kill from Munk at 25-20. With the score tied at 17-all in the second set, Behrend used an 8-1 run to win and go ahead 2-0. Munk tallied back-to-back service aces and Josh Oertly (Cochranton, PA/Cochranton) knocked in the kill for the final point.
After falling 25-15 in the third, the Lions bounced back to win a close fourth set and earn their first AMCC victory of the season. Michael Podgorny kept the Hawks in the match with three kills down the stretch, but a few errors and a kill from Theiss put Hilbert away, 3-1.
Oertly added 10 kills and seven digs against the Hawks.
In the match against the Saints, Theiss led the Lions in the three sets with 11 kills, eight digs, two blocks and an ace.
Munk had three of his six kills of the second match in the first set, including two to get Behrend within four points at 23-19. A kill by Matthew Dugan got Siena Heights set point and then won 25-21 on an attack error.
In the second set, Jeff Hardman tallied two straight aces to give the Saints a 20-14 lead. The two teams exchanged kills back-and-forth until set point. Behrend won two straight points on a kill from Theiss and ace from Oertly to make it 24-20. An attack error gave Siena Heights a 2-0 lead at 25-20.
The Saints jumped out to a 17-9 lead in the third and got help defensively in the final four points to post a 25-14 win for the match.
Tyler Herrmann (Cranberry Township, PA/Seneca Valley) posted eight kills and nine digs, and Sprentz added 25 assists against Siena Heights.
The Lions return to action on Tuesday against Loras at 4:30 p.m.