HILBERT, N.Y. – La Roche volleyball returned to Hilbert on Saturday afternoon for the second time in 10 days, this time to open AMCC play. Despite forcing a fifth set, the Redhawks would ultimately fall, 3-2.
Set one was completely even, with neither team holding a lead of more than two points, up through a tied score of 18-18.
La Roche tied the match at 18-18, starting what was a 6-0 run to move ahead, 23-18, ultimately closing out the set, 25-20 to move ahead 1-0.
The Redhawks opened the second set with an early 6-3 lead, but by the midway point, Hilbert flipped the score by taking a four-point, 15-11 lead.
The Hawks continued to build the lead, moving the match to set point, 24-18, but La Roche battled back to cut the deficit to 24-23, but Hilbert got the final point needed to win 25-23, tying the match at 1-1.
Set three was much of the same early, very even back and forth, until the Redhawks opened things up with a 6-0 run to move ahead, 12-6.
La Roche continued to hold at least a four-point lead throughout much of the set, until in the later stages, Hilbert fought back to make it 22-20, then 24-23.
This time the Redhawks were able to seal the victory, getting the final point to win 25-23 and go ahead 2-1 in the match.
The fourth set had a completely different feel as Hilbert stormed out to an 11-2 lead and continued to roll, taking the set 25-8, forcing a deciding fifth set.
The fifth set saw Hilbert take that momentum and build an early, 8-4 lead, then ultimately finished the match, coming back from down 2-1, winning 3-2, with a 15-7 victory.
For the Redhawks, Kalli Grine againled the way, racking up 15 kills, while Olvia Sickmiller followed with eight. Estelle Winck led the setters with 31 assists.
On the defensive side, four players finished in double figures for digs, led by Kaci DePalma who finished with 19, while Winck earned a double-double with 13, as did Grine with 10 and Megan Bologna also added 10.
At the net, the Redhawks picked up 14 block assists on the day, led by Grine with five.
La Roche has its first AMCC home match on Wednesday, Oct. 15 when they host Pitt-Greensburg at 7 p.m.