Men's Volleyball celebrate
2
Houghton Hough 0-1,0-0 AMCC
3
Winner Hilbert Hilb 1-0,0-0 AMCC
Houghton Hough
0-1,0-0 AMCC
2
Final
3
Hilbert Hilb
1-0,0-0 AMCC
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Houghton Hough 25 22 25 14 10 (2)
Hilbert Hilb 19 25 22 25 15 (3)
0
Houghton Hough 0-2,0-0 AMCC
3
Winner SUNY Poly SPI 2-3,0-0 NEVC
Houghton Hough
0-2,0-0 AMCC
0
Final
3
SUNY Poly SPI
2-3,0-0 NEVC
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Houghton Hough 15 14 23 (0)
SUNY Poly SPI 25 25 25 (3)

Game Recap: Men's Volleyball |

Highlanders Come Up Short in Two Matches

HAMBURG, NY – The Highlander Men's Volleyball team opened the 2026 season in Hamburg, NY, competing in a tri-match against the Hilbert Hawks and the SUNY Poly Wildcats. The Highlanders faced host Hilbert first in a tightly contested, back-and-forth battle, with both teams trading sets before Hilbert ultimately edged out a thrilling five-set victory. The day concluded with a straight-set loss to SUNY Poly.
 
GAME VITALS
Game #1:
Score: Houghton – 2 | Hilbert – 3
Records: Houghton: 0-1, 0-0 AMCC | Hilbert: 1-1, 0-0 AMCC
Scores: 25-19, 22-25, 25-22, 14-25, 10-15
Venue: Brad Hafner Recreation Center| Attendance: 101
 
Recap:
The opening match of the 2026 season delivered immediate excitement with a five-set thriller. The first set featured four ties and two lead changes as the Highlanders came out strong and recorded a .381 hitting percentage to claim the opener. Set two mirrored the intensity, with nine tie score and four lead changes as both teams traded points, but the Hawks edged out a 25-22 victory.
 
Houghton responded by taking the third set 25-22, but facing elimination, the Hawks elevated their play in set four, hitting .333 and pulling away for a 25-15 win to force a deciding fifth set. The Hawks built an early advantage in the final set, and although the Highlanders battled back to even the score, the Hawks closed out the match with a 15-10 victory to secure the five-set win.
 
Game #2:
Score: Houghton – 0 | SUNY Poly – 3
Records: Houghton: 0-2, 0-0 AMCC | SUNY Poly: 2-3, 0-0 NEVC
Scores: 15-25, 14-25, 23-25
Venue: Brad Hafner Recreation Center| Attendance: 55
 
Recap:
SUNY Poly proved to be a tough challenge for the Highlanders in the second match of the day. The Wildcats were firing on all cylinders offensively, posting a .265 hitting percentage that overwhelmed the Highlanders' defensive efforts. Throughout the match, Houghton was unable to establish a consistent offensive attack.
 
NOTABLE STATS
>> Devin Cline tallied a total of 16 kills against Hilbert and added another 7 against SUNY Poly
 
>>Josh Thiesen had a great start to the season with a total of 12 kills against Hilbert
 
>>Jerry Buno added 37 assists against Hilbert
 
UP NEXT
The Highlanders open their home schedule by hosting Hartwick on Tuesday, January 20, at 7:00pm at the Nielsen Center.
 
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