Men’s Volleyball returns to action with AMCC loss to Houghton

PITTSBURGH --- Carlow University men's volleyball returned from a 22-day hiatus to face Houghton University in an Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference match Saturday afternoon.

Prior to the start of the match, the Celtics celebrated senior outside hitter Caio Matos Machado and student manager Chloe Wade.

Chloe Wade and Caio Matos Machado. Photo by Robert Cifone.

Despite the Celtics gaining several leads throughout the match, the Highlanders (5-15, 4-3 AMCC) swept Carlow, 25-19, 25-18 and 25-17.

Gavin McLain (Acworth, Ga./North Paulding HS) led the Celtics with a game-high seven kills. and five solo blocks. Luke Campana (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin HS) and Caio Matos Machado (São Paulo, Brazil/Bishop Guilfoyle HS) tallied five kills apiece. Angelo Fernandez (Williamsport, Pa./St. John Neumann Regional Academy) led Carlow with a game-high six digs, and Rohan Bhattarai (Baldwin, Pa./Baldwin HS) added 13 assists. Jaden Michalski (Pittsburgh, Pa./Obama Academy) recorded five of Carlow's six service aces on the day.

The Celtics jumped out to a 10-6 lead to start the day and seemed to be firing on all cylinders before an error handed the ball back to Houghton. The Highlanders strung together five points in a row to go ahead, 12-10.

Carlow tied the game six separate times before another error put Houghton ahead, 19-18. The Highlanders outscored Carlow 6-1 to end the first set with a 25-19 victory.

The second set played out in a similar fashion with the Celtics going ahead 6-1 to start the game.

Carlow maintained a marginal lead until a kill and a service ace tied the game at 14-all. Both teams tied the score twice before Houghton gained a lead, and once again the Highlanders outscored the Celtics 6-1 to end the second set, 25-18.

The teams traded leads to start the third set before Houghton put together a 7-1 run to lead, 19-11. Carlow scored four points in succession to trail by four, but the Highlanders ended the game and the match with a 6-2 run.

Devin Cline led the Highlanders with six kills and Jerry Buno added a game-high 19 assists. Houghton tallied 10 service aces on the day.

The Celtics return to action with a 7 p.m. AMCC match at Mount Aloysius March 24.