by Christina Roukas

ALTOONA, Pa. – The Penn State Altoona's men's volleyball team lost 3-0 against non-conference opponent Lancaster Bible College Friday night in the Adler Arena.

The Lions (5-6) scored the first point of the opening set, but the Chargers (12-7) quickly took the lead. Lancaster Bible had a six-point run and built a healthy 9-2 lead against the Lions. With Penn State Altoona down by six later in the set, Connor Ebersole (Altoona, PA/Bishop Guilfoyle) had an ace to put the Lions back within five, 14-9. Lancaster Bible continued to hold the lead, but the Lions fought back with a kill from back row Trey Sadler (Grantville, PA/Lower Dauphin) to keep his team within six, 21-15. Lancaster Bible eventually took the first set by a score of 25-18.

In the second set, Lancaster Bible started off with a kill, but the Lions came right back with a kill by Jared Kish (Columbus, OH/Hilliard Darby), tying the game 1-1. Several points later, Ebersole blocked a Chargers hit, putting Penn State Altoona in the lead 4-3. Philip Silva (Brazil/Richard Montgomery) spiked the ball through a block to put Penn State Altoona up 6-3, and Jared Bodisch (Red Lion, PA/Red Lions) scored a kill to hold the Lions' lead at 10-8. Shortly thereafter, Kish won a joust with the Chargers' Hunter Davis, setting the Lions' advantage at 12-10. Penn State Altoona's defense continued to be strong, as back-to-back blocks from Silva and Ebersole made it 16-13. However, the Chargers came back and tied the game 20-20, eventually winning the set 25-22.

Lancaster Bible started the third set with a point, but Bodisch tied it 1-1 with a kill. Penn State Altoona grabbed a 7-4 lead following a Sadler kill, but the Chargers responded by jumping ahead 13-10. Kish killed the ball right over the net to cut the Chargers' lead to one, 13-12, but Lancaster Bible once again established a healthy lead against Penn State Altoona. The Chargers took the match win, closing out the third set 25-16.

Ebersole led Penn State Altoona with eight points, four solo blocks, and two block assists. Silva had seven points, five kills, four digs, and a solo block.

Kish contributed seven points, six kills, and a solo block. Bodisch also had seven points on a team-high seven kills and tied for the team lead in digs with five, and Sadler had five kills and five digs.

Connor Baker (Red Lion, PA/Red Lion) posted 21 assists and three digs.

The Penn State Altoona men's volleyball team's next matches are home tomorrow, Saturday, February 25. They will have two matches against Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference opponents Hilbert College at 12:00 p.m. and Thiel College at 5:00 p.m.