HUNTINGTON, Pa. (Jan. 17)- The Saint Vincent men's volleyball team opened up their 2026 season with a road tri-match at Juniata on Saturday.
 
The Bearcats fell in the opener by a 3-1 final to Trine, before falling to the host Juniata by a 3-0 score in their final match of the day.
 
MATCH 1- Trine 3, Saint Vincent 1
The Bearcats battled through a competitive four-set clash but came up short against Trine University, dropping a 3-1 decision.
 
The match opened tightly in the first set, with Saint Vincent pushing Trine, but ultimately falling 25-23. The Bearcats responded in the second set, using a strong all-around effort to take the frame 25-21, highlighted by sustained defensive play and balanced attacking. Despite the momentum swing, Trine regained control in the third and fourth sets, winning 25-19 and 27-25, respectively, to clinch the match.
 
Saint Vincent's offense was paced by outside hitter Shawn McSwiggen, who led all players with 19 kills, anchoring the Bearcats' attack throughout. Zebadiah Wyant contributed 15 kills and also chipped in defensively, while Owen Ward added nine kills as SVC pushed Trine in multiple rotations.
 
Setter Jack Ryan tallied 44 assists and chipped in eight digs, orchestrating the offense and keeping the Bearcats competitive in each set. The Bearcats also tallied 10 total team blocks, with strong contributions from McSwiggen and Rocco Marino, who finished with five blocks of his own.
 
Statistically, Saint Vincent totaled 48 kills and five aces in the four-set match, demonstrating balance across its rotation. The Bearcats also recorded 42 digs, showing resilience on defense as they fought to extend rallies and create scoring opportunities. Trine finished with 55 kills and six aces, using a consistent offensive attack to secure the series of sets needed for the victory.

MATCH 2- Juniata 3, Saint Vincent 0
The Saint Vincent men's volleyball team battled throughout its road test at Juniata College Saturday afternoon in the finale of the tri-match, but the Bearcats were unable to slow down the host Eagles in a 3–0 decision.
 
Juniata captured the opening set 25-15 and carried that momentum through the second and third, finishing the night with set scores of 25-18 and 25-15, respectively. The Bearcats showed effort across all rotations but were unable to sustain rallies long enough to flip momentum in their favor.
 
Offensively for Saint Vincent, the attack was led by a trio of contributors, each recording three kills —Wyant, Braedan Artman and Tommy Barrick — while setter Jack Ryan orchestrated the offense with 16 assists and chipped in defensively with multiple digs.
 
The Bearcats also finished with a combined six blocks, led by Artman and Tyler Nelson, as the defense continued to find pockets of resistance against the Eagles' relentless attack.
 
Juniata's balanced offense was paced by Felix Baier (14 points), Tyler Phillips (12.5) and Dante Palombo (12), who helped push the Eagles' attack to a combined 46 kills on .330 hitting for the match. Juniata also outpaced Saint Vincent in assists (43–16), digs (28–17) and aces (4–1) on the stat sheet.
 
Saint Vincent will return to action on Friday, January 23, hosting Mount St. Joseph University in the Bearcats home opener. The match is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. in the Carey Center on Friday night.