Men’s Volleyball opens 2024 season with loss to Geneva in three close sets

BEAVER FALLS, Pa. --- Carlow University men's volleyball opened the 2024 season with a close 3-0 AMCC loss to Geneva College on the road Tuesday.

The Celtics took the first and final sets to extra points, falling 29-27 and 26-24 respectively. Geneva won the second set 25-22.

Russ Cyprowski led Carlow with 13 kills. Will Piccolino tallied 12 digs and eight kills, while Logan Alexander and Ryan Callahan contributed 11 and 10 digs, respectively. James Stone added 20 assists in the effort.

Carlow started strong with 13 kills in the first set. The Golden Tornadoes led the Celtics almost the entire set before a service error set off a 5-0 run that gave Carlow a 20-18 advantage.

Carlow maintained a marginal lead, but Geneva tied the score at 24-all to force a win-by-two situation. For every point the Celtics gained, Geneva would tie the game on the next serve. At 27-all, back-to-back Carlow errors handed the first set to the Golden Tornadoes, 29-27.

Geneva held the Celtics to single digit kills in the second and third sets. Both teams tied the score multiple times throughout the second set, each staying within just a few points of the other.

Carlow trailed 23-22 before an error and a kill fell in favor of the Golden Tornadoes, 25-22.

The third set played out much the same way with each team taking short runs in turn, culminating in a 24-all tie toward the end of the set. Yet again, a kill and an error found Geneva with the upper hand.

Owen Kelley and Andrew Ubinger recorded 11 kills apiece, and Joshua Sangrey added 13 digs for the Golden Tornadoes.

Carlow travels to Hobart (N.Y.) College for a two-day, five team tournament Jan. 19-20.