WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University men's volleyball team was swept by Penn State Altoona at the Marts Center Wednesday night in non-conference action. Set scores were 25-12, 25-21, 29-27 in favor of the visitors.

Wilkes dropped to 4-4 overall with the loss while Penn State Altoona improved to 2-3.

The Lions forced the Colonels into a timeout early in the first set as the visitors grabbed a 6-1 lead. Wilkes was unable to make a push throughout the first set as the Lions kept extending their lead to win 25-12.

Penn State Altoona jumped out to a 7-1 lead in the second set but this time Wilkes was able to make a run. With the score 14-8 in favor of the Lions, the Colonels scored seven of the next eight points to tie the score at 15-15. Jones Mensah (Philadelphia, PA/Central) had two kills during the run and added a block assist. Penn State Altoona extended its lead back to 20-16 but a kill from Cole Hefner (East Greenville, PA/Southern Lehigh) brought Wilkes back within two points at 23-21. The Lions scored the next two points to close out set two at 25-21.

Again Penn State Altoona jumped ahead early in the third set, this time 6-1. The Lions would extend their lead to 19-10 and then led 23-16 before Wilkes made a furious push. A Mensah kill got the rally started and Mark Piotrowski (Milford, PA/Delaware Valley) and Hefner then combined for a big block on the next point. Joseph Gayton (Wilkes-Barre, PA/James M. Coughlin) then served an ace. Following a point for the Lions, the Colonels then staved off five-match points. Ethan Speicher (Midlothian, VA/Cosby) and Piotrowski combined for a block followed by a Hefner ace to make the score 24-22 and force a Lions timeout. Out of the break, Mensah put away another kill and then Wilkes tied the score on a Lions attack error. A service error by Wilkes gave Penn State Altoona another match point but Speicher put away a kill in the middle and then Wilkes took a 26-25 lead on another Lions attack error. Piotrowski put the Colonels ahead again at 27-26 with a kill but for the second time Penn State Altoona saved set point and this time scored the following two points to win the third set 29-27 and sweep the match 3-0.

Mensah led Wilkes with 10 kills while Speicher added seven and had a .667 hitting percentage. Speicher and Piotrowski finished with three blocks and Piotrowski led the Colonels with a match-high seven digs. Daniel Sales (Laflin, PA/James M. Coughlin) assisted 30 times in the match.

Brian Sheddy led Penn State Altoona with 12 kills while adding four aces.

The Colonels have an off weekend before hitting the court next on Wednesday, February 13 at Widener University to open Middle Atlantic Conference play at 7:00 p.m. in Chester, Pa.