Opening the season at home for the first time in the three year history of the program, the Belmont Abbey men's volleyball team lost 3-1 to the visiting Quincy Hawks this evening inside the Wheeler Center in the season opener for both teams. Quincy claimed the first two sets by scores of 25-18 and 25-20 before the Crusaders rallied back with a 25-23 third set win to extend the match to a fourth set, which the Hawks won 25-23.

Belmont Abbey and Quincy have opened the season against each other for the third-straight year-but for the first time on a non neutral court-with the Hawks winning the last two season openers after the Crusaders claimed a 3-1 win in the first match in program history. Quincy now leads the all-time series 4-1.

The Hawks won the first two sets easily before the Crusaders battled back to win set three by winning seven of the last 11 points after the two teams were tied at 18.

The fourth set mirrored the first as neither team took control until late in the match when the Hawks used a strong push to claim the victory.

Tied at 18, Quincy surged ahead 21-18 before the Abbey battled back to knot the set at 23, forcing a Quincy timeout. After the pause, the Hawks won the match on an Abbey service error and a kill.

In his first match as a senior collegian, Anthony Pippen, a transfer from Palomar Junior College, notched a career-high with 11 kills. He added five digs and a service ace. Nolan Albrecht, in his first match in over a year after missing all of last season with an injury, added nine kills and five digs. Derek Sullivan handed out 32 assists to go along with six digs.

Libero Jon Lowenhagen led the way with eight digs. At the net, four players-Pippen, Justin Snyder, Dustin Buell and Brennan Beyner-each had one block solo. Buell added two block assists with Sullivan and Beyner adding one each.