GREENVILLE, Pa. - St. Norbert College opened its 2024 season with a solid 3-0 win over Thiel College to open a five-match road trip in a non-conference match at Beeghly Gymnasium.

The Green Knights topped the Tomcats by scores of 25-22, 25-20, 25-12.

St. Norbert trailed 9-4 in the early going of Set 1 before working its way back to take 13-12 lead after a 9-3 run. The Tomcats led 20-18 before St. Norbert scored three points on a kill by Jackson Corcoran and two kills from Owen Knezevich for a 21-20 lead. After a Thiel side out, St. Norbert got two more kills from Knezevich to take a 23-21 lead. Following another Thiel point, Kade Nelson closed out the set win with a kill and service ace.

Thiel led 10-9 in Set 2 before the Green Knights went on a 6-1 run fueled by two kills from Barry Applewhite and one each from Corcoran and Kaden Kornaus to take a 15-11 lead. The Bobcats got back to within 21-20 but the Green Knights scored the last four points to take a 2-0 lead.

St. Norbert was in complete control in Set 3, jumping out to a 9-3 lead and eventually building a 22-9 edge. The Green Knights hit .294 in the set with 11 kills against one error in 34 attempts.

The Green Knights hit .204 overall in the match, terminating 37 kills against 16 errors in 103 swings. Corcoran finished with 10 kills, while Knezevich had eight kills. Applewhite and Kornaus had seven kills apiece. Michael Whitney finished with 33 assists. Kade Nelson totaled three service aces and Whitney added two.

Knezevich, Kornaus and Ryan Conway all had 10 digs apiece. Whitney had two blocks.

Thiel hit .134, with 28 kills against 15 errors in 97 attempts. Kaleb Proudfoot had a team-high six kills.