HAMBURG, NY – The Houghton Highlanders opened the 2025 campaign with a thriller, going all five sets before finally pulling out a victory over the Hilbert Hawks, 3-2.
 
Houghton took a 2-1 advantage in the fourth set, after the first three were all decided by only two points.  But the Highlanders could not put the Hawks away, as Hilbert won the most lopsided set of the match, 25-11.
 
Trailing, 5-7, in the final set, the Highlanders reeled off five straight points behind the serving of Logan Baer and a pair of kills each from Emma Cole and Praylan Perkins to take a 10-7 lead.
 
Hilbert stayed within striking distance, eventually pulling to within a point, 12-13, but a kill from Sierra Zinger put the Highlanders back in control to pull out the victory.
 
GAME VITALS
Match Score: Houghton – 3 | Hilbert – 2
Records: Houghton: 1-0 | Hilbert: 0-1
Set Scores: 23-25, 25-23, 26-24, 11-25, 15-12
Venue: Brad Hafner Recreation Center, Hilbert College | Attendance: 245

NOTABLE STATS
>> Hilbert maintained advantages in kills (59-to-48), attack percentage, (.136-to-.128) and digs (98-to-90), but the Hawks committed eight more attacking errors (33-to-25) than Houghton.
 
>> Cole led the Houghton attack with 14 kills (.314 attack percentage), while Alexa Belanger added 11 and Perkins 10. 
 
>> Baer dished out a team-high 23 assists, while Morgan Brace added 15.  Gaby Gracia turned in a team-high 22 digs, while Belanger added 21.
 
UP NEXT
The Highlanders head to Erie, Pennsylvania this Saturday, where they will take on Thiel College at 2:00 p.m. and Geneva College at 4:00 p.m. in the Penn State-Behrend tournament.