PITTSBURGH (Feb. 28) -- The Thiel College Men's Volleyball team posted a 3-1 victory at Chatham University Saturday afternoon in Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) play from the Athletic & Fitness Center.
The Tomcats rise to 14-7 (4-0) with set score wins of 20-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-21 and are now 4-0 all time against the Cougars 8-5 (2-2).
Thiel used a 3-0 run in set two with a pair of
Ezra Oesterling (Shelocta, Pa./West Shamokin) kills and a
Will Zimmerman (Cranberry, Pa./Seneca Valley) ace to lead 11-8. An extended 8-1 run later in the frame grew the lead to 23-13 as Chatham had six errors in the run, three of which came on Thiel blocks, as the Cats evened the match at one.Â
Oesterling tied for the team lead with 10 kills to go with a team-most-tying nine digs, match-leading three aces and two blocks while Zimmerman added six kills, six assists, three digs and two blocks.
A 5-0 Thiel run in set three kickstarted with a
Bryce Lizanich (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour) kill pushed the Cats ahead 20-14. Thiel ended the set with a 4-1 run to take the frame on a
Kaleb Proudfoot (Butler, Pa./Butler) kill.
Lizanich swatted 10 kills on .600 from the middle with a match-high-tying five blocks. Proudfoot recorded 10 kills on .474 and tied Lizanich with five blocks (1 BS, 4 BA).
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Tyler Hussey (Irwin, Pa./Norwin) kill capped a 5-1 run in set four that pushed the Tomcats ahead 11-4. The home side made a late run but the Blue and Gold played sideout ball to close the match on an Oesterling kill.
Hussey finished with five kills and a pair of blocks and digs each.
Thiel dominated at the net with 12 blocks (3 BS, 12 BA) to Chatham's five (10 BA). Thiel recorded 46 digs as
Ben Lowell (Portland, Ore./Sunset) and
Eli Olszowka (Erie, Pa./Mercyhurst Prep) each tied Oesterling for the team with nine.
Josh Pugh (Wexford, Pa./Pine Richland) recorded eight digs.
Olszowka led Thiel with 18 assists while Lowell dished out 16 helpers. Thiel's offense hit .241 while Chatham sat at .169.
Thiel is back in action Wednesday at 7 p.m. for a PAC clash with Hiram.
