CANTON, N.Y.  – Casandra Thompson averaged 4.12 digs per set in the first two matches Hilbert College women's volleyball  played at the North Country Classic tonight.
 
The Hawks will get two more chances to earn another team win on day two of the tournament in Northern New York tomorrow.

THE BASICS

• Final Score:  Alfred State 16, 25, 25, 25  |  Hilbert 25, 15, 20, 22
• Final Score:  Wells  25, 25, 25   I   Hilbert  16, 22, 15
• Location:  Roos Court | SUNY Canton
• Records:   Alfred State   3-2  I  Hilbert 1-5  |  Wells 3-1

HOW IT HAPPENED – Alfred State

• The Hawks hit the ball well (.129) and finished long rallies with points in the opening set.  Both teams traded points through the early part of the set.  The Hawks began to pull away mid-way through, built a six point lead (12-6) and rolled to the 25-16 win. Hilbert collected 10 kills and seven service aces earning the opening set W.
• Alfred State took control of the second set, building a 10-4 margin before the Hawks rallied and pulled within two points (12-14).  The Pioneers went on a 6-1 run and held on for the 25-15 victory.  A-State doubled the Hawks in kills (14-6) and forced Hilbert into negative hitting percentage in the second set.
• The Hawks rebounded in the third, matching Alfred State in hitting (10 kills each) and earned three blocks to the Pioneers' one.  Rallies were long and both teams traded points and leads until the 9-9 score.  Hilbert went back up 16-13 and fought hard to keep Alfred State at bay.  There were three more tie-score situations, the final at 20-all.  A-State took the win off back-to-back service aces, 25-20.
• Hilbert got out fast in the fourth set and maintained the lead on the score board until the Pioneers knotted it at 10-10.  The Hawks, down by five points (20-15) came alive and sliced the margin to two (22-24) which forced an A-State timeout.  Hilbert was unable to defend an  Alfred State attack and dropped the match in a 25-22 set score.
• Hilbert collected 35 kills (.053), 16 service aces, three solo blocks, four block assists and 68 digs.
• Maria Spinelli posted her first double-digit kill match leading the Hawks with 11 kills (.125).  Michaela Rice added seven kills, four service aces, three solo blocks, one block assist and six digs.  Casandra Thompson was very active and posted 17 digs while Jaden Helbig was credited with 19 of the Hawks' 30 assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED – Wells 

• A closely scored first set in the night cap, tuned into a four-point deficit for the Hawks who called a timeout trailing 8-4.  Hilbert  continued to attack at the net finishing with 11 more attacks than Wells, but inconsistent Hilbert hitting allowed the Express to hold on for the 25-16 win.
• Hilbert hit the ball well in the second set, finishing with 10 kills in 31 attempts (.129).   The Hawks knotted the game at 8 and again at 9 then took their first lead in the game off a kill, going up 10-9.   The Hawks and Express continued to trade points and leads until Wells went on a mini run, going up 20-17.  Another pair of Hilbert kills set the 20-21 nail biter yet the Express scored four of their final five points off offensive attacks, winning 25-22.
• Hilbert and Wells continued to battle in the early part of the third set.  After playing to a 5-5 score, Wells slowly pulled away, going up 13-9 before a Hilbert.  The Express built a 20-14 advantage and secured a 25-15 match victory.
• Hilbert collected 30 kills (.103), 16 service aces, and 37 digs.
• Maria Spinelli and Michaela Rice each earned six kills, Emily Garnett and Jenna Revak added five kills while Garnett posted two service aces and nine digs.  Casandra Thompson collected a match-best 12 digs. 

UP NEXT

The Hawks will spend the evening tonight in northern New York before they travel down the highway to SUNY Potsdam for a pair of mid-day matches against Utica and SUNY Potsdam Saturday, September 10th.