Green Knights Take Maiden Voyage at Wittenberg

From Asst. AD/Athletics Communications, January 16, 2020 | Men's Volleyball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - St. Norbert College played its first match in program history but came up on the shy end of a 3-0 decision to Wittenberg University in a non-conference match at Pam Smith Evans Arena. The Tigers claimed the match by scores of 25-11, 25-15, 25-16.

The Green Knights got the program underway against an established Wittenberg squad that won 21 matches last season. The Tigers came out swinging, taking an 11-3 lead while hitting .500 in the first set. St. Norbert took a while to work out the early kinks, going on a 5-3 run late in the first set, but had eight hitting errors in the stanza.

St. Norbert got settled in the second set, with kills by Ben Rinella and Jake Bettag bringing the Green Knights to within 7-5. St. Norbert hung around and trailed 12-8 before Wittenberg scored the next five points to pull away. In the third set, the Green Knights led 3-1 out of the gate on kills by Bettag, Rinella and Jake Krueger, but Wittenberg would rattle off seven straight points. The Green Knights also went on a 5-1 run late in the set.

St. Norbert had 17 kills and 18 errors in 74 attempts. Rinell had four kills, while Krueger, Bettag and Sean Loughney all had three apiece. Eddie Pacula had eight assists, while Rinella had five. Bettag paced the back row with four digs.

Wittenberg hit a lofty .392 with 38 kills against nine errors in 74 attempts. Dominic Melchiorre had a match-high nine kills.