ALTOONA, Pa. – The Penn State Altoona men's volleyball team wrapped up its recent stretch of home matches on Thursday night with a 3-0 loss to No. 10 Messiah University in the Adler Arena.

Messiah (11-1) defeated Penn State Altoona (6-6) in three sets by scores of 25-18, 25-22, and 25-20.

The Lions got a team-best 9.5 points from Caleb Fries (Altoona, PA/Altoona) on eight kills, one solo block, and one block assist, and he also led the team in digs with eight. Jack McKenna (Manahawkin, NJ/Southern Regional) had 8.5 points on six kills, three block assists, and one service ace.

Michael Hansen (Palatine, IL/William Fremd) chipped in 5.5 points on four kills and three block assists, Landen Fisher (Altoona, PA/Altoona) had five points on four kills and two block assists, and Owen Pratt (Pennsburg, PA/Upper Perkiomen) added four points on three kills and an ace.

Mason Grover (Penfield, NY/Penfield) recorded 24 assists to go along with six digs, one kill, and one block assist.

Adam Chan (Framingham, MA/Framingham) contributed six digs.

Penn State Altoona battled Messiah closely for most of the first set, before the Falcons pulled away late to win it by seven points. Kills by Fries and McKenna early in the set helped keep the score tied, 4-4, before Messiah worked its way to an 11-7 advantage. After that, Fisher and McKenna scored kills, and a McKenna ace got Penn State Altoona back within one, 13-12. But the Falcons expanded their lead to seven, and despite late kills by Pratt, McKenna, and Hansen, the Lions went down 25-18 to open the match.

The Lions scored the first four points of the second set on kills from Fisher and Hansen, a block by McKenna and Hansen, and a Messiah attack error. Holding a 7-6 lead several points later, Penn State Altoona rattled off five straight points to make it 12-6, and the Lions capitalized on several more Falcon errors to keep their lead at six, 16-10. But Messiah managed to outscore Penn State Altoona 15-6 the rest of the way, and the Falcons triumphed 25-22 in the second set.

In the third set, early kills from Fries and McKenna helped keep Penn State Altoona within one point, 5-4, of the Messiah lead. But the Falcons embarked on a 9-3 run to increase their lead to seven, 14-7, and Messiah grew its lead to 21-13 later in the set. Penn State Altoona scored the next four points on kills from Fries and Fisher, a Pratt service ace, and a block from Fries and Fisher, trimming its deficit to four, 21-17. A McKenna kill and a combination block by McKenna and Hansen kept the Lions within four, 24-20, but Messiah scored the next point to end the set at 25-20 and clinch the sweep.

Penn State Altoona men's volleyball will hit the road for its next match, as the Lions will travel to Latrobe, Pa., this Saturday, February 15, to face non-conference opponent Saint Vincent College at 7 p.m.