HIRAM, Ohio – The Thiel College men's volleyball team defeated non conference opponent Hiram College 3-1 on Wednesday night.
 
The Tomcats jumped out to a 5-0 run in the first before the Terriers got on the board. Thiel took the first set 25-20.
 
The second set saw numerous lead changes as each team made runs to take the advantage. Hiram's six-point run late in the set was the difference as it gave them a commanding 21-16 lead, the Terriers would take the set 25-20.
 
Thiel bounced back in the third claiming a 25-21 set victory to take a 2-1 set advantage.
 
In the deciding fourth set, Thiel found themselves tied at 10 apiece with Hiram and continued to trade the lead until late in the set. The Tomcats seemingly had the game in hand with a 24-20 advantage but a three-point surge by the Terriers made it interesting keeping the set and the match alive at 24-23. Thiel would win the set and the match on the very next point as Hiram committed a service error.
 
Tomcat leaders on the night included Stephen Borgen (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler Area) as earned game-highs in both assists with 32 and blocks with four. Mitchell Patterson (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) and Jacob DeRue (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) each collected 12 kills apiece.
 
With the win, The Tomcats improve to 4-2 on the season and will play their first Continental Volleyball Conference (CVC) game of the year as Eastern Mennonite University (4-2, 0-0 CVC) travels to Beeghly Gymnasium on Friday at 4:00 p.m.