Chicago, Ill. - For their 2024 season opener, as well as their home opener, the Illinois Tech Scarlet Hawks men's volleyball team took on the NCAA Division II Maryville University Saints. Inside a loud Keating Sports Center, the Hawks (0-1) put up a tough non-conference fight with the Saints (1-0), keeping each set close, but ultimately dropped the match 3-0.
How It Happened
Set One - Saints 25, Hawks 22
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Maryville began the match recording the first two points of the contest before the Hawks got on the board with a block by Jackson Van Engen. With the Saints in the lead, the Hawks picked up three straight points to jump ahead. The first point was a kill by Riley Laaite. Then, an attacking error by the Saints tied the game at 4-4 before the Hawks went ahead 5-4 off another attacking error that ended in a double block by Colten Farrell and Eli Sherman. The set would then go back-and-forth with both sides trying to get ahead of the other. The last tie of the set came at 18-18 after a service error on the Hawks awarded the Saints a point. That point began a 4-0 run, creating enough space for the Saints to pull away from the Hawks. The Saints won set one 25-22.
Set Two - Saints 25, Hawks 18
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A kill by Van Engen off a Sherman assist began set two. A blocking error by the Hawks put the Saints on the board before a kill by Laite gave the Hawks back the lead. Unfortunately, the 2-1 lead marked the Hawks final lead of the set as the Saints led the rest of the way. Late in the set, the Hawks would have a 3-0 run with a Saint service error and two kills by Van Engen off Sherman assists. The run would come too late in the contest though as the Saints secured set two 25-18.
Set Three - Saints 25, Hawks 22
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Set three began with a Paul Henderson kill from a Van Engen assist. After the Hawks kill, the Saints picked up back-to-back points. Then, the Hawks had their largest run of the night, a 5-0 run to take a 6-2 lead. During this run, Henderson recorded a kill. The Hawks would stay ahead until the Saints went on a 5-0 run of their own to take the lead. In the middle of the set, the Hawks fought their way back to tie the set up at 16-16 after a 3-0 run with kills by Van Engen and Grant Couper, both off Sherman assists, as well as a service ace by Van Engen. The Hawks would last hold the lead at 21-20 after a Saints service error. A 5-1 run by the Saints closed out the set, giving the visiting team a 25-22 set victory.
Scarlet Hawk Standouts
Saints Standouts
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Luke Kraft - 11 kills, 3 blocks, 8 digs
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Ethan Beyreis-Heim - 2 aces, 12 assists, 6 digs
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Cameron Chambers - 18 assists
Inside the Box Score
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The Saints edged the Hawks 42-39 in kills
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6 aces were recorded by the Saints while the Hawks had 1
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Maryville ended with 6 blocks versus Illinois Tech's 3
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In assists, the Saints had 38 and the Hawks had 35
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43 digs were in favor of the Saints while the Hawks had 38
Up Next
The Hawks will take on North Park University on Tuesday, January 23 inside the Keating Sports Center. The non-conference match will begin at 7:00 PM.
