VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The Wilkes men's volleyball team split their Virginia Beach tri-match, dropping a straight-set decision to Wisconsin Lutheran College and defeating Geneva College in four sets.

Following tonight's tri-match the Colonels move to a 2-3 overall record while Wisconsin Lutheran improves to a 2-0 overall record and Geneva College falls to a 3-2 overall record.

Game 1: Wilkes 0, Wisconsin Lutheran 3
The Colonels dropped their opening match of the day in straight sets to Wisconsin Lutheran, falling 25–15, 25–17, and 25–23. The Warriors controlled the attack throughout the contest, outhitting Wilkes .278 to .063 and recording 37 kills to the Colonels' 25. 

Johnnathan Rocha (Wilkes Barre, PA/Holy Redeemer) paced the Wilkes offense with seven kills, while Hunter Aidan and Aiden Amon (Pittstown, NJ/North Hunterdon) followed closely with six apiece. James Brust (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) led the passing game with 15 assists while Alex Derk (Perkasie, PA/Pennridge) led the defense with eight digs.

Wisconsin Lutheran was led offensively by Adonis Hilton, who finished with a match-high 12 kills, while Drew Wempner and Brady Pichler each added eight. Adam Bedalov directed the Warriors' offense with 17 assists, and Noah Kern led the back row with eight digs.

Game 2: Wilkes 3, Geneva 1
In Wilkes' final match of the day they bested Geneva College in four sets with scores of 25-16, 25-22, 17-25, and 25-22. 

The Colonels came out aggressive in the opening set, building a commanding 15-8 advantage behind three early kills from Logan Maha (Sayville, NY/Sayville). An ensuing 8-3 run pushed Wilkes within two points of the set at 23–12, and although Geneva answered with four unanswered points late, Rocha sealed set one with a kill.

Set two opened with both teams trading points through the first ten, before the Colonels used a decisive 10-3 run to extend their advantage, highlighted by two kills from Amon. Wilkes continued to capitalize on Geneva miscues down the stretch, as Zach Sheaffer (Lancaster, PA/Manheim Township) and Rocha each recorded a kill to close out the set.

Geneva struck first in set three, jumping out to an early 6-3 advantage. Logan Berger (Bath, PA/Northampton) briefly pulled the Colonels even at eight with a service ace, but the Golden Tornados responded with a 7-4 run to regain control and maintained momentum down the stretch to claim the third set over Wilkes.

Set four opened much like set two, as both teams traded points through the first nine, with Carter Otto (Mountain View, CA/Mountain View) accounting for three of the Colonels' points on kills. Geneva seized momentum with a 6-4 run to take control of the set, but Wilkes answered late, tying the score at 22 on a kill from Hunter. The Colonels' defense stepped up in the closing moments, as Wilkes rattled off the final three points to secure the set and the match victory.

Rocha led the Colonels' offense with a match-high nine kills, while Maha and Amon each added seven. James Brust (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) directed the attack with a season-high 21 assists and Derk anchored the back row with a career-best 21 digs.

Owen Kelley and Joshua Stowe led Geneva's attack each with 10 kills, while Andrew Ubinger recorded 24 assists and Alex Smith led the defense with 14 digs.

The Colonels return to action on Saturday, Jan. 24 where they face Virginia Wesleyan University at 8:00 a.m. at Townebank Arena.