LATROBE, Pa. - Jan. 19, 2024 - Chatham split their first day of matches after losing to host Saint Vincent (3-0, 0-0 AMCC) and then sweeping the Bethany Bison (0-2). Their second match win was the first in program history. 

In match one against Saint Vincent, the Cougars struggled to hit, tallying 23 errors. The team finished with a negative hitting percentage (-.037) with only two players ending positive. Of those two, freshman Benjamin Shelestak recorded eight kills and a service ace for a total of nine points. The next two leaders in points were freshman Tim McCabe (7) and senior Maximilian Barrett (4). Senior Coulter Chaffee amassed 16 of the 18 Cougar assists, while freshman Luis Carrasquillo defended a match-leading 13 attacks. 

Match two saw the Cougars flip the script. Chatham ended with a .364 hitting percentage and served 14 aces in the sweep. Shelestak led the match with 11 points and was one of four Cougars to serve an ace. Shelestak's two aces trailed freshmen Evan Frank's and Kyle Penn's five each. Chaffee chipped in two aces as well in a game that saw Chatham outscore the Bison 49-15. The Purple and Grey assisted on 26 of 30 kills, with Chaffee contributing a match-high 18. 

Defensively, Chatham held Bethany to a -.065 hitting percentage. The men had 24 digs and five blocks, led by Barrett's four denials and Shelestak's eight digs. 

The Cougars return to Latrobe on Saturday for two matches against Hiram (1 p.m.) and Geneva (3 p.m.).