BEAVER FALLS, Pa. (Mar. 1)- The Saint Vincent men's volleyball team traveled to Geneva for an AMCC matchup, where the Bearcats were swept by the Golden Tornadoes 3-0.
 
Matthew Minkin led the way for the Bearcats with a team-high 12 kills for Saint Vincent. Zebadiah Wyant was the only other Bearcat with double-digit kills with 1- kills in the loss. Zach Wyant led the way for SVC with 25 assists and Shawn McSwiggen recored seven kills in the match.
 
It was back and forth early on in the first set, as Saint Vincent and Geneva traded the first few points, and the set was tied 4-4. The Golden Tornadoes then went on a quick 7-0 run to take a commanding 11-4 lead in the set. The Bearcats answered scoring two points in a row as a kill by Zeb Wyant and an attack error by the GT's cut the Geneva kead to 11-6.
 
Over the next few points, the Bearcats and Golden Tornadoes traded points as Saint Vincent still trailed by five at 16-11. After Geneva still held a five-point lead at 20-15, the Bearcats scored the next two points on a kill by Minkin followed by an ace Stephen Laun cut the Geneva lead to 20-17.
 
The late response by the Bearcats was not enough as the Golden Tornadoes outscored the Bearcats 5-3 over the final eight points as the Bearcats fell in the set 25-20.
 
In the second set, Geneva took their momentum from the end of the first set and carried it into the second set. The Golden Tornadoes scored the first three points of the set, taking an early 3-0 lead. The Bearcats answered scoring the next three points on kills by Zeb Wyant and McSwiggen, mixed between a block by McSwiggen and Zachary Mumpower tied the set up at 3-3-3.
 
Geneva responded once again scoring the next three points to regain their lead at 7-4 and still held a three-point lead at 8-5. The set of runs continued as the Bearcats scored the next four points on a kill by Zeb Wyant, followed by four errors by the Golden Tornadoes as SVC took the lead at 9-8.
 
Over the next several points neither team could gain control as the Bearcats still held a slight one-point lead at 18-17. The Bearcats continued to hold a slight lead as they 20-19 and 22-21. Geneva stormed back late to tie the set up at 24-24 and then 25-25 after a kill by Zach Wyant. The GT's responded scoring the final two points of the set to win the set 27-25, taking a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
It was all Geneva in the third set. The Golden Tornadoes scored the first point of the set and the Bearcats were never able to gain the lead in the set. After a kill by Zach Wyant cut the Geneva lead to 9-6 but that's the closes the Bearcats cut into the Geneva lead the rest of the set. The Golden Tornadoes won the set 25-13.
 
The Bearcats finished the match with a .202 hitting percentage, while also picking up 30 assists and 11 blocks over the course of the match as well.
 
Saint Vincent returns to action this weekend, Saturday, March 4,  with a trip to Elizabethtown, Pa. for a non-conference tri-match. The Bearcats will first take on Roanoke at 2 p.m., followed by a matchup at 4 p.m. against the host Elizabethtown.