BEAVER FALLS, Pa. – A seesaw match between Geneva and Penn State Altoona went to five sets (22-25, 27-25, 25-19, 18-25, 15-13), but the Golden Tornadoes emerged the victors in one of the more exciting matches of the season to date. Geneva's record is boosted to 14-10 overall, 3-0 in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC). Altoona now stands at 8-9 overall, 1-2 in conference play.
An ace from freshman Alex Smith started things off well for the men. Some back-and-forth play ensued between the sides, with Altoona eventually gaining a four-point lead, 12-8, midway through the set. Geneva pulled back within one, aided by a brilliant kill from junior Decker Milroy, but the Lions used a 5-1 run to jump back into a commanding lead. The GTs fought hard for the remainder of the set, but ultimately dropped it 25-22.
The Lions put up three consecutive points to open the second set, and the Golden Tornadoes found themselves needing to fight from behind again. They rallied well after a rough first few points, and took the lead 11-10 on a kill from freshman Daniel Spear. Altoona regained the advantage quickly, but a 5-1 run by the Golden Tornadoes knotted the score at 16. The two sides were neck-and-neck for the rest of the set, and although Altoona briefly held a dangerous 25-24 lead, the GTs were able to take the second set 27-25 on a couple of kills from Spear and senior Carter Milroy.
An ace from Spear put the men ahead early in the third set 4-3. That point was one in the midst of an 11-5 run for Geneva that gave the GTs a 13-8 advantage. The Lions kept it close, drawing within two points midway through the set, 15-13. Geneva finished the set strong, however, and a kill from Carter Milroy gave them the set win 25-19.
Once again, neither team could gain a clear advantage at the outset, but as the fourth set wore on Altoona was able to build up a 9-5 lead. Geneva used kills from Spear and Carter Milroy to pull within one point, and they eventually took the lead back, 13-12. The Lions finished the set on a 13-5 run, however, to win it 25-18 and force a fifth set.
Using their momentum from the prior set, Altoona jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the fifth, but kills from sophomore Andrew Ubinger and Spear evened the score. The GTs got out to a 9-6 lead, but a 4-1 Altoona run tied it at 10. The Lions briefly appeared to be in command when they went in front 13-12, but a kill by Spear followed by back-to-back kills from freshman Owen Kelley sealed the deal for the men, and they won the fifth and final set 15-13.
Kelley posted a team-high 14 kills on the evening, to go along with five blocks. Carter Milroy contributed 10 kills, five blocks, and 13 digs, and Spear finished with 11 blocks, tied for the second-most in school history. Decker Milroy put up 37 assists, and junior Joshua Sangrey led the team in digs with 17.
The Lions were led by Avery Farabaugh, who recorded a game-high 17 kills and four aces.
Geneva will play again this Saturday, when the men head to Erie for a tri-match with Nazareth and AMCC-opponent Penn State Behrend.
Through purposeful learning in a community reflecting the full spectrum of God's kingdom, a Geneva College experience inspires students to discover a faith-life calling in service to God and neighbor. Offering 195+ traditional undergraduate majors and programs, fully online Adult Degree Programs and high-demand graduate degrees, Geneva's programs are recognized for their high quality and affordability. Geneva was founded and is governed by the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) and is a founding member of both the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and the International Association for Christian Education (IACE).
