BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Geneva men's volleyball team had a tough task on Saturday. Just a few hours after battling Grove City on Senior Night, the men got up early and traveled to Buffalo State for a tri-match. The GTs battled but fell short in two non-conference matches to Mount Aloyius (28-26, 25-21, 25-18) and Buffalo State (25-20, 25-23, 25-23). The losses drop Geneva's overall record to 10-15.
Geneva started the day against the Mounties, pulling ahead at the start of the first set 10-5. Junior Andrew Ubinger and sophomore Owen Kelley both contributed two kills in this stretch. The Mounties crept back in, though, tying up the set at 16-16. Kelley and Ubinger kept the offense going for the men, Kelley adding two more kills, and Ubinger contributing four of his own. Geneva battled, tying up the set several times, but Mount Aloysius pulled out a tight 28-26 victory.
The Golden Tornadoes started the next two sets in similar fashion, keeping within a few points of the Mounties. Ubinger posted six more kills, and junior Evan Puhl generated some offense of his own, adding six kills. Junior Paul O'Donnell added two big kills in set three, but the GTs could not hold onto their lead in either set, falling 25-21 and 25-18.
Ubinger led the team with 12 kills, and Puhl added eight. Kelley totaled seven kills, while adding seven digs, and senior Joshua Sangrey led the defense with nine digs. Freshman Colton Alfaro led the Golden Tornadoes with 29 assists.
Geneva's second match of the day transpired in similar fashion, the men always staying within a few points of the Bengals but never able to finish sets. O'Donnell and Kelley notched a few kills to begin set one, giving Geneva a 7-5 edge. The Bengals tied the game up 14-14, and after taking a lead, Buffalo State never gave it back. Ubinger added a two more kills for the men, along with a block, but it was not enough as Geneva fell 25-20.
Ubinger led the charge in the second set, posting three kills to put the Golden Tornadoes up 10-7. Sophomore Daniel Spear notched two blocks, one assisted by Ubinger and the other by O'Donnell, as Ubinger continued to hit well. The Bengals tied the set up 18-18, but two kills from both Kelley and Ubinger allowed the Golden Tornadoes to keep the set tight 23-23. However, due to some GT errors, the Bengals took the set 25-23.
The men kept the third set just as tight, as Ubinger added a few kills along with a block assisted by Puhl. Kelley and Puhl both added kills to keep Geneva in the game, but it was not enough to pull the men ahead. O'Donnell notched two kills for Geneva, along with a block, but the Bengals held on late for a 25-23 victory.
Ubinger led the GTs in kills with 12, off an impressive .308 hitting percentage, and contributed nine digs. Kelley also posted nine digs, along with seven kills. Sangrey led the defense with sixteen digs, while Alfaro notched 22 assists.
The Golden Tornadoes will wrap up regular season play with a PAC matchup at Bethany College on Friday, April 7th at 7:00 pm.
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).
