Men’s Volleyball falls to Geneva after close third set

PITTSBURGH --- Carlow University men's volleyball lost a tough 3-0 contest to Geneva College at St. Joseph Athletic & Fitness Center Wednesday night.

The Celtics took the Golden Tornadoes (4-4) to a win-by-two situation in the third set, but Geneva won the set and swept the match, 25-11, 25-18 and 27-25.

Luke Campana (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin HS) led Carlow with five kills and two solo blocks. Jaden Michalski (Pittsburgh, Pa./Obama Academy) and Rohan Bhattarai (Baldwin, Pa./Baldwin HS) added five digs apiece.

Carlow played its best volleyball of the match in the third set. The Celtics trailed to start, behind 15-13 before back-to-back kills from Campana tied the game at 15-all.

Both teams tied the score and traded leads seven times before the Golden Tornadoes gained a 24-22 advantage. With set point on the line, an error by Geneva and a subsequent service ace from Caio Matos Machado (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Bishop Guilfoyle HS) tied the game once again at 24-all. The tie prompted a Geneva timeout, and each team landed a kill to see the score tied at 25. A service error by the Celtics and a final service ace from the Golden Tornadoes ended the set and the match in favor of Geneva.

In the first set, Carlow fell behind 6-1 and an 8-3 run by the Golden Tornadoes put them ahead, 18-10. Geneva tallied a 7-1 run to end the first set with a 25-11 victory.

In the second set it was Carlow who took a 7-3 lead to start, maintaining that advantage until Geneve tied the game at 10-all. A Geneva kill set off a 12-2 run to give the Golden Tornadoes a 23-14 lead enroute to a 25-18 win.

Three Geneva players hit seven kills apiece, and Owen Kelley led the Golden Tornadoes with a game-high seven digs.

The Celtics travel to Saint Vincent College for a 7 p.m. match Feb. 3.