BEREA, Ohio (Feb. 8) -- The Thiel College men's volleyball team dropped a tight three-setter with Hiram College Saturday afternoon in a non-conference tilt at Baldwin Wallace University's Ursprung Gymnasium.

The Tomcats drop to 4-5 while Hiram rises to 5-3 with set score wins of 28-26, 26-24 and 25-23. 

Hiram pulled ahead 12-6 in set three on a 3-0 run before Thiel started chipping away and got within 3 (14-11) on back-to-back Ezra Oesterling (Shelocta, Pa./West Shamokin) kills. An Oesterling kill followed by an attacking error got Thiel within 1 (19-18) before Hiram tallied 3-of-4 points to go ahead 22-19. A 3-0 Thiel run capped by a Kaleb Proudfoot (Butler, Pa./Butler) solo stuff knotted things at 22 and forced a Hiram timeout. The Terriers ultimately took 3 of the final 4 points to take the set and match. 

Oesterling posted match bests in kills (18) and digs (10) for his fourth double-double of the season while hitting .353. He tied for the match high with a trio of solo blocks. On the day, Oesterling totaled 36 kills, 17 digs and six solo stuffs.

Proudfoot contributed six kills and tied with Oesterling for the match lead in blocks (three). 

The Tomcats pulled ahead 5-0 in set two and used a 5-0 run to lead 13-5. Trailing 18-13, Hiram totaled 6 of the next 9 points to get within 2 (21-19). A Jake Dies (Cambridge Springs, Pa./Cambridge Springs) kill gave Thiel a pair of set point chances at 24-22, but the Terriers tallied the final 4 points of the set to take the frame 26-24 and go up 2-0.

Dies finished with six kills and a career-best eight digs. 

Set one had 15 ties and eight lead changes. Hiram led 7-3 early before Thiel pull ahead 11-10 with three consecutive Oesterling kills. Tied at 19, Thiel collected 4-of-5 points to go ahead 23-20. Hiram notched back-to-back points before a service error gave the Tomcats two set-point opportunities. The Terriers rattled off 3 straight points before consecutive Proudfoot kills gave the Blue and Gold another set-point chance at 26-25. Hiram etched the final 3 points of the set to go ahead 1-0.

At the libero spot, Josh Hovan (Baden, Pa./Ambridge) had seven digs while David Gonzalez (El Paso, Texas/Eastwood) had four.

Men's volleyball opens Presidents' Athletic Conference play Tuesday when they take on Bethany in a 7 p.m. road showdown.