HUNTINGDON, Pa. – The Penn State Altoona men's volleyball team went up against some stiff competition on Saturday, when the Lions faced a pair of Division III nationally-ranked opponents at Juniata College's Memorial Gymnasium.

Penn State Altoona (1-4) lost 3-0 to No. 11 Rutgers-Newark in its first match of the day, then fell 3-0 to No. 15 Juniata in the Lions' second and final match.

Match One: Rutgers-Newark 3, Penn State Altoona 0

Penn State Altoona played its fourth match of the young season against No. 11 ranked Rutgers-Newark (3-1), which prevailed in straight sets by scores of 25-15, 25-20, and 25-19.

The Lions tied for their best attack percentage as a team through their first five matches of the schedule, hitting .250 as a team against Rutgers-Newark.

Philip Silva (Brazil/Richard Montgomery) had a team-high 8.0 points on seven kills and one service ace, and he also chipped in three assists and two digs. Trey Sadler (Grantville, PA/Lower Dauphin) recorded 6.5 points on four kills, a team-high two service aces, and one block assist while adding three digs.

Jared Bodisch (Red Lion, PA/Red Lion) also finished with four kills, tied for the team lead in digs with four, and notched one block assist. Connor Ebersole (Altoona, PA/Bishop Guilfoyle) posted four kills, two digs, and a team-best two block assists. Jared Kish (Columbus, OH/Hilliard Darby) contributed three kills on four attempts while adding a solo block.

Connor Baker (Red Lion, PA/Red Lion) tallied a team-best 16 assists to go along with four digs, two kills, and an ace.

Match Two: Juniata 3, Penn State Altoona

The Lions finished their day against No. 15 Juniata (8-4), which swept Penn State Altoona by scores of 25-18, 25-12, and 25-19.

Silva had a team-high 9.0 points, recording eight kills and a solo block while tying for the team lead in digs with five. Ebersole registered 8.0 points, leading the Lions in blocks with one solo block and four block assists and putting down five kills.

Kish had three kills and a block assist, and Bodisch posted two kills and a block assist to go along with five digs. Sadler recorded four block assists and one kill.

Baker led the Lions in assists with 15, and he also contributed four digs and one solo block.

Penn State Altoona men's volleyball gets right back at it tomorrow, Sunday, February 6, hosting its first home match of the 2022 season. The Lions will welcome non-conference opponent Wittenberg University to Adler Arena for a 12:00 p.m. match.