Men’s Volleyball picks up first win of the season over Bethany

BETHANY, W. Va. --- Carlow University men's volleyball snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 3-0 sweep of Bethany College on the road Thursday.

The Celtics (1-7) held the Bison (0-8) to 17 total kills on the night.

Will Piccolino hit .387 to lead Carlow with a game-high 17 kills. Russ Cyprowski added 10 kills and three solo blocks, and Logan Alexander recorded 19 digs. James Stone had 31 assists, and Jaden Michalski tallied two of Carlow's five service aces on the night.

The Celtics went ahead early in the first set to win, 25-14. The Bison trailed by two early on before a service error and three kills in a row from Piccolino put the Celtics up, 9-3. Carlow maintained at least a four-point buffer the remainder of the set to secure the win.

Carlow hit .474 in the second set and allowed the Bison just three kills to win, 25-7. Tied 3-all, the Celtics went on a 17-2 run en route to the lopsided victory.

Bethany battled to an 8-5 advantage to begin the third set before two service errors, an attacking error and a kill from Piccolino saw the score tied at 9-9. The Bison gained a marginal lead once again, but a kill from Joshua Lee and a service ace from Stone tied the game at 11-all.

Bethany regained the lead for a third time, ahead 15-13 when Ryan Callahan and Cyprowski hit back-to-back kills to even the score at 15. The teams traded kills to tie at 16, and a swing from Piccolino gave Carlow its first lead of the set, 17-16. The Celtics strung together an 8-3 run to end the set 25-19 and the match.

Tyler Johnson led the Bison with seven kills, and Rylan Trapp produced three solo blocks in the effort. Leonardo Locatelli added 13 digs.

The Celtics return to action with a 7 p.m. home match against Chatham University Feb. 15.