Four different Bees put down kills as part of a match-ending 8-2 run that led St. Ambrose to a season-opening 25-18, 26-24, 14-25, 16-25, 15-8 win at Viterbo Thursday night.

After dropping the third and fourth sets, SAU led just 7-6 midway through the fifth. The Bees took control from there.

A Viterbo hitting error got the run started and Anthony Anderson followed with a kill. After the V-Hawks (0-1, 0-1 CCAC) got one point back, Mikolaj Zielonka put down a kill. An Anderson ace upped the lead to 11-7 and forced a Viterbo timeout. That wasn't enough to stop the Bee momentum.

Zielonka had a solo block before another Viterbo hitting error pushed the lead to 13-7. A Dan Rice kill gave St. Ambrose seven match points. The V-Hawks erased one before Jon Guch recorded a kill to close out the 3-2 victory.

The late surge capped a roller-coasted season opener. SAU controlled the first two sets before Viterbo picked up its play in sets three and four. The Bees dominated the decisive set, finishing with five kills and just one error. Viterbo had three kills and seven errors in the final set.

"This was an exciting start to the season!" said SAU head coach Ray Green. "Last year they beat us twice, so a five-set win at their place is fantastic. We are very young, but enthusiastic. Let's go!"

Zielonka led the Bees with 13 kills. Rice and Guch each had seven. Nick Fox collected six kills, Richard Reed had four and Anderson ended with three.

Anderson also registered a match-high 35 assists. Jesse Moreno was credited with 11 digs. Anderson and Guch each picked up five digs. Three Bees - Zielonka, Colin Teresi and Dillon Markley - each finished with three digs. Fox was in on six blocks.

A busy start to the season continues Friday when the Bees visit Mount Mercy. The two teams will then play Saturday in Davenport in SAU's home opener.