HUNTINGDON, Pa—The 19th-ranked Hobart volleyball team fell in a thrilling five-set match to Widener this afternoon to open the inaugural Kevin Pratte Foundation Invitational. With the loss, the Statesmen drop to 3-2 on the season, while Pride improve to 2-1 overall.
 
Junior outside Daniel Sappia led Hobart in the five-set thriller with a season-high 20 kills (.184). He added five digs, two blocks and one service ace in the loss. First-year Harry Fromberg chipped in nine kills (.115), six digs, one block and one assists, while classmate Ben Welsh added five kills (.300), two blocks and two digs for the Statesmen. First-year Nicholas Humphries recorded five kills (.214), and three blocks in his collegiate debut.
 
Junior setter Zack Farren ran Hobart's offense and tallied 21 assists, six digs, and one service ace in the loss. First-year Charlie Dugan added 17 assists, three digs and two service aces for the Statesmen. Defensively, Hobart was led by Farren, Fromberg and first-year libero Tyler Lavell's six digs each.
 
Widener was led by Stephen Marquis' 14 kills (.229), five digs, two blocks and one service ace. Quinby Dahl chipped in 13 kills (.458), 11 digs and two aces, while Jason Sandberg led the Pride with a match-high 43 assists.

MATCH MOMENTS:

• Widener came out swinging in the opening set, putting down 12 kills (.429) as a team compared to Hobart's nine (.148). The Pride took control down the stretch of the opening set and closed out set one on top, 25-19.
• The Statesmen responded in set two with 12 kills (.226) of their own and held the Pride to a match-low six kills (-.065). Hobart forced Widener to eight hitting errors in the second set as the Pride handed the Statesmen a 25-20 win in set two.
• Hobart continued on its momentum in set three as it put down 12 kills (.125). Widener matched with 12 kills (.250) of its own but a huge block by Sappia and Welsh would close out set three in favor of the Statesmen 26-24.
• In the must-win set, the Pride combined for 12 kills (.391) compared to the Statesmen's 11 (.154). Hobart once again struggled offensively and racked up seven hitting errors as Widener fought back to keep its hopes alive. The Pride closed the set one a 6-1 scoring run to take a 26-24 win and force a decisive fifth set.
• Widener opened the fifth set on a 5-1 scoring run and never looked back. The Pride combined for eight kills (.294) and held the Statesmen to seven kills (.250) in the final frame. Despite a late push by Hobart, Widener closed out the non-conference battle on top 15-12.

Match stats:

• Sappia led the Statesmen with a season-high 20 kills (.184), while Fromberg added nine (.115). Humphries (.214) and Welsh (.300) chipped in five kills each, while junior Grayson Getz (.375) and first-year Maxwell Stotsky (.143) added three kills each in the loss.
• Farren tallied a team-high 21 assists in the loss and added six digs, and one service ace. Dugan chipped in 17 assists, three digs and two aces, while first-year Tor Boughal added four assists in one set.
• Defensively, Hobart combined for 41 digs as a team and were led by Farren, Lavell and Fromberg with six each. Sappia chipped in five digs, while Stotsky added four.
• The Statesmen served up seven aces as a team and was led by Getz and Dugan with two each. Sappia, Farren and Stotsky chipped in one ace each for Hobart.

UP NEXT:
 
Hobart will be back in action tomorrow for Day 2 of the Kevin Pratte Foundation Invitational. The Statesmen will take on No. 13 New Paltz at 11 a.m. and will close out action against No. 3 Juniata at 1:30 p.m.