PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Geneva men's volleyball team took the first two sets against Chatham University in their Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) quarterfinal matchup on Tuesday night, but that was where their momentum ended as they dropped the next three, losing 26-24, 25-18, 20-25, 19-25, 12-15. It was the GTs' second five-set loss to Chatham this year, the No. 3 seed in the PAC tournament.

Things began very well for the Golden Tornadoes as they went ahead 5-1 right out of the gate. A block by junior Daniel Spear and freshman Matthew Lamay made Geneva's lead 11-7 midway through the frame, and that advantage extended to 16-10 a few moments later on a kill by junior Owen Kelley. Chatham brought the score all the way back, tying Geneva 24-24 late, but after a Cougar service error and a block by Spear and sophomore Matthew DeGraaf, the men took the set 26-24.

The GTs scored the first two points of the second set on kills by Spear and senior Andrew Ubinger, giving them another early lead that they would not relinquish. The set was close throughout, with Chatham coming back to tie the score multiple times, but the hosts never took the lead. Spear and Ubinger combined on a block to put the men up 8-5 early on, but that was the largest advantage they held for most of the set. After Chatham tied the score at 18, however, the Golden Tornadoes turned a switch, scoring the final seven points of the frame behind two kills and two blocks from Ubinger, giving Geneva a 25-18 win in set two and a two-set lead overall.

The Cougars gained their first lead of the evening on the opening point of set three. They pushed that advantage to 7-3 a few minutes into the frame, but Geneva scored five of the next six points to knot the score at 8-all. The men briefly took an 11-10 lead on a Kelley kill later in the set, but the hosts controlled the rest of the frame to win it 25-20.

Chatham's momentum continued into the fourth set. After Geneva gained a slight 7-6 edge, the Cougars went on a 12-2 run to seize control of the frame. Geneva pulled back within four points, making the score 22-18 late, but could not get any closer as Chatham won the set 25-19.

The men were forced to play from behind for most of the final set after the Cougars took a 5-2 lead to start. Geneva came back to tie the score multiple times, the last instance coming at 8-8, but the Golden Tornadoes just couldn't get over the hump, falling in the fifth and final set 15-12.

Kelley and Spear were Geneva's two kill leaders, recording 17 and 14 kills, respectively, and each hitting at least .240. Kelley added 10 digs and Spear contributed five total blocks in the loss as well. Ubinger finished with a career-best 44 assists and a season-high 17 digs, as well as six kills and four blocks. He becomes the first player in program history to amass at least 700 kills, 700 assists, and 700 digs across his career, doing so in the final match of his collegiate tenure. Senior Evan Puhl put up seven kills and five blocks in his final match as well.

The loss brings Geneva's season to an end, and with it the careers of Ubinger, Puhl, and fellow senior Paul O'Donnell. Chatham moves on to play No. 2 seed Saint Vincent College on Thursday, April 9, at 7:00 p.m.

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).