Box Score Freshman Connor Hinman (Lethbridge, Alberta/Catholic Central) recorded a match-high 12 kills, and classmate Manny Fernandez (Tacoma, WA/Spanaway) added eight kills, but the Keuka College men's volleyball team fell to Penn State-Altoona in three sets Saturday in the Storm's first-ever home match.
Hinman added four digs, Fernandez had 5 digs, 2 aces and 2 blocks and sophomore Ryan Kelly (Clifton Springs, NY/Midlakes) added 29 assists and seven digs for the Storm (1-3).
Keuka lost 25-15, 25-22 and 25-22.
Fernandez had only one error in 23 attempts for a .304 attack percentage while freshman Tom Campbell (Penfield, NY/Penfield) added five digs and four kills with no errors on 12 attacks (.333 attack percentage).
Altoona (3-7) took early leads of 5-1 and 9-5 in the first set, but when Hinman hammered home a kill, the Green and Gold trailed only 12-10. Altoona won five straight points to take a 19-12 lead and took the first set.
In the second, freshman Christopher Mooring (Chesapeake, VA/Hickory) had a kill to knot the score at four, and after Fernandez and Hinman had back-to-back kills, the Storm trailed 10-9.
Freshman Josh Makin (Lethbridge, Alberta/Catholic Central) then served up three straight points as Keuka stayed close down 16-15, but Altoona went on to win the second set.
In the final set, Hinman had three straight kills for a 3-1 lead, and following a Fernandez kill the Storm held an 8-6 edge. Altoona fought back and took an 18-16 lead before Mooring delivered an ace and Fernandez had a block and a kill to even the score at 20.
Altoona claimed the next two points, but a Fernandez kill made the score 23-21. Keuka was unable to pull closer than two points and suffered the sweep in its first-ever home match inside the Weed Physical Arts Center.
Keuka hits the road to play Vassar College and SUNYIT at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Feb. 16.