BUFFALO, N.Y. – Hilbert College dropped a 3-1 AMCC match to the Medaille College tonight in women's volleyball as the Hawks squeezed a one-set victory to avoid the straight-set sweep. 

Amanda Binder returned to double-digit kill action as she earned game-high 11 kills honors.  Morgan Ott quarterbacked the offense with 13 assists and paired 4 kills along the front line.

Chelsea Adamski led the Hawks with 12 digs, followed by Binder's eight.  Ott and Nickee Thibault each chipped in seven digs for the night. Serena Tecl posted three blocks.

Medaille won the game at the net earning 42 kills (.142) and 15 service aces.  Hilbert gave up 11 points off service errors and 22 attack errors, one less than their completed kills (23).

Hilbert started the first set slowly and found themselves in a 19-9 hole before a Medaille service error gave the Hawks a double-digit score.  The hosts claimed the first set (25-12) behind 12 kills.  Hilbert was credited with four kills (Amber Hay knocked back-to-back whacks early in match) but four service errors.

Hilbert jumped out to a 4-1 lead early in the second set before Medaille rallied back from a 6-4 deficit.  The Mavericks posted three straight service aces and took a 7-6 lead and held on for good.  Hilbert kept it close, never allowing more than a four-point spread.  The Mavs hit their way to a 25-18 second-set win.

Hilbert didn't roll over and quit in the third set.  The Hawks built several  two-point early cushions  and every time Medaille cut the spread, the royal and white pushed their score ahead again.  Even when the hosts took a 16-13 lead, Hilbert rallied and knotted the score at 16-all.  Binder and Adamski strung together back-to-back kills as the momentum swung back in favor of the Hawks who forced a Medaille timeout leading 21-17.  Binder scored the only Hilbert-earned point the rest of the way as the Mavs lost their confidence and fell (25-19) for the first time this year to Hilbert.  Hilbert earned 9 kill-points, led by Binder's four.

Trailing 10-3 in the fourth set, Hilbert called a back-to-back timeouts in an effort to regroup.  It was a tough go after Medaille built and held their 10-point lead which they rode to the set and match win 25-10.

With just a one day to prepare, Hilbert returns to action Friday, October 2nd in the first day of the two-day Blue Devil Invite hosted by Fredonia.  The Hawks will battle SUNY Canton at 5pm (live video) in Dods Hall.  They will travel back down the NYS thruway the following morning for a 10 am match against Fredonia (live video) and a 12:30 pm game against Ithaca.