Fast starts in both the first and second sets helped St. Ambrose defeat Viterbo 25-18, 25-18, 21-25, 25-19 in a first-round match of the CCAC Men's Volleyball Tournament Tuesday night at Lee Lohman Arena.

SAU's strong serving, which accounted for nine aces on the night, helped stake the Bees to those early leads.

Anthony Anderson set the tone early, recording aces on three of the match's first four points, to get SAU to a quick 4-0 lead. Kills from Pedro Zang and Michael Bos extended the advantage to 7-1.

Viterbo (9-24) battled back to even the score at 10-10.

A kill from Zang and a block from Charlie Flynn and Ian Cordes came part of a 3-0 spurt that built a 17-13 lead. After a V-Hawk point, Cordes put down a kill and Matt Cannon followed with an ace to up the lead to 19-14.

Anderson added another ace late, his fourth and the team's fifth of the set, to help the Bees claim the opener.

After a kill from Zang started the second set, it was Zander Larson's turn. Larson recorded an ace while serving SAU to a 5-0 lead.

Again Viterbo fought back. The V-Hawks got to within two points as late as 11-9. But then back-to-back kills from Zang and another Larson ace sparked a five-point run that grew the lead to 16-9. SAU was able to maintain that lead throughout the rest of the set.

The third set saw Viterbo deny St. Ambrose (20-11) another fast start as the V-Hawks won the first two points of the set.

The teams stayed close throughout much of the set. Leading 17-16, Viterbo went on what appeared to be a set-deciding five-point run to build a 22-16 lead. But SAU came right back with four points of its own, highlighted by back-to-back blocks from Bos and Jon Guch and then Bos and Larson to get back to within two points at 22-20.

However, the Bees would get just one more point in the third, that on a Bos kill that put the deficit at 23-21, as the V-Hawks extended the match.

Viterbo got off to a 4-1 start in the fourth before St. Ambrose got on a roll. Three kills from Zang and one from Kam Dixon, and three total blocks came part of a 7-0 run that put the Bees in front 8-4.

The V-Hawks clawed back to get within 13-10 but a kill from Bos and consecutive aces from Anderson restored a 16-10 advantage. The lead was at least five points the rest of the way as SAU kept its season alive.

Zang led the team with 17 kills. Bos also reached double figures finishing with 11. Cordes put down eight kills, Flynn had six and Larson and Guch each added three.

Anderson led all players with 35 assists and his six aces. He also picked up five digs.

Cannon was credited with six assists. Larson led the way with 10 digs. Dixon, Cannon and Ethan Karban came up with nine apiece. Flynn was in on five total blocks.

St. Ambrose will visit CCAC regular-season champion and No. 3-ranked Saint Xavier in a tournament semifinal Thursday night.