Lisle, Ill. - On the road for their first Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) match of the 2024 season, the Illinois Tech Scarlet Hawks men's volleyball team took on the Benedictine University Eagles. The Hawks (3-9, 0-1) and the Eagles (6-6, 1-0) would go into a five set thriller and back-and-forth battles in nearly every set. Unfortunately for the Hawks, they would drop their first conference game to the Eagles by a final score of 3-2.
How It Happened
Set One - Eagles 26 - Illinois Tech 28
-
Set one between the Hawks and Eagles was a back-and-forth battle that saw the set go into extra points. After being tied at 3-3, the Eagles took the lead, but the Hawks fought to stay within reach. Three straight points for the Hawks tied the set at 9-9. The three points came off a Paul Henderson kill, a Riley Laite service ace, and a block by Henderson. The Eagles would go back ahead before the Hawks picked up three straight points again to tie the match at 14-14. The points came off an Eagle service error, an Eagle attacking error, and a service ace by Grant Couper. Another three point run by the Hawks tied the set late at 22-22 with points coming off a Jackson Van Engen kill, an Eagle attacking error, and a Henderson kill off a Elijah Johnson assist. In the end, the Hawks were able to come out ahead 28-26 with back to back points off Eagle attacking errors. Van Engen picked up a block.
Set Two - Eagles 25 - Illinois Tech 20
-
Set two followed the steps of set one with a back-and-forth battle that saw 13 ties. After being tied at 16-16, the Eagles began to pull away from the Hawks, beginning with a 3-0 run. The Hawks would come back within two points, but were unable to get any closer. The Eagles closed out the set with three straight points to take set two 25-20.
Set Three - Eagles 22 - Illinois Tech 25
-
After being tied at 7-7 early in the third set, the Hawks jumped out ahead of the Eagles with points off an Eagle service error and an attacking error. The Hawks continued to stay ahead until the set was tied at 15-15 after the Eagles picked up back-to-back points on Hawk errors. Four more ties followed before the Hawks took the set victory with back-to-back points off a Riley Laite kill and service ace.
Set Four - Eagles 25 - Illinois Tech 23
-
In the fourth set, the Hawks began action with a 4-2 run with points coming off two Henderson kills off Johnson assists, a Couper kill off a Johnson assist, and an Eagle service error. The set would first be tied at 5-5 after the Eagles picked up two points. Every time the Hawks tried to go ahead, the Eagles would immediately tie the set, resulting in seven ties ending at 12-12. After the tie, the Eagles went ahead until the Hawks tied the set at 19-19 after kills from Couper and Laite. In the end though, the Eagles pulled away to take set four 25-23, forcing the match to go five sets.
Set Five - Eagles 15 - Illinois Tech 6
-
In the final set of the match, the Hawks and Eagles were tied 1-1 before the Eagles led for the remainder of the set. The Hawks were last within one-point at 4-5 before the Eagles took off with the lead. In the end, the Eagles took set five 15-6, giving them the match victory.
Scarlet Hawk Standouts
Eagles Standouts
-
Anthony Dobie - 17 kills
-
Chase Olson - 2 aces, 2 blocks, 2 assists
-
Eoin O'Toole - 5 blocks
-
Spencer VanEngen - 50 assists, 11 digs, 5 blocks
-
Brannen Almarles - 15 kills, 2 aces
Inside the Box Score
-
The Eagles led the Hawks in kills 63-50
-
In total attacks, the Eagles led 151-139
-
The Hawks led in service aces 8-7
-
60 digs were in favor of the Hawks while 58 were in favor of the Eagles
Up Next
The Hawks get a one day break before hosting a tri-match on Saturday, February 24th. Contest will begin at 12:30 PM when the Hawks take on the University of Mount Union Raiders. The Raiders will then take on the North Central College Cardinals at 3:00 PM before the Hawks finish out the night against the Cardinals at 5:30 PM.
