ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Penn State Altoona men's volleyball team opened this weekend's Nazareth University Invitational with a loss on Friday evening, when the Lions fell 3-0 to No. 17 Baldwin Wallace University in the Kidera Gymnasium.

Baldwin Wallace (14-6) swept the Lions (10-8) by scores of 25-14, 25-19, and 25-21.

Lucas Petrones (Oxford, PA/Avon Grove Charter) and Caleb Fries (Altoona, PA/Altoona) tied for the team lead in points with seven apiece. Petrones totaled six kills and a service aces, while Fries had five kills, two block assists, and an ace. Landen Fisher (Altoona, PA/Altoona) added six points on four kills and four block assists.

Mason Grover (Penfield, NY/Penfield) tallied 18 assists and also led the Lions in digs with five.

Penn State Altoona battled Baldwin Wallace tightly early in the first set, before the Yellow Jackets pulled away for a lopsided win. Two Fries kill, one Michael Hansen (Palatine, IL/William Fremd) kill, and an Owen Pratt (Pennsburg, PA/Upper Perkiomen) ace kept the Lions even with Baldwin Wallace, 9-9. But the Yellow Jackets reeled off a 7-0 run to go up 16-9, and they finished the first set with an 11-point victory over Penn State Altoona, 25-14.

Baldwin Wallace carried its momentum into the second set, when they got out to a 15-5 lead. Penn State Altoona scored the next four points, including a Petrones kill and service ace, to make it 15-9. Kills by Fisher, Jacob Sandowski (Orland Park, IL/Carl Sandburg), Jack McKenna (Manahawkin, NJ/Southern Regional), and Petrones kept the Lions within six, 21-15. But, despite a pair of duo blocks by Fisher and Fries, Penn State Altoona fell 25-19 in the second set.

The Lions kept pace with Baldwin Wallace for much of the third set. Kills by Fries, Hansen, Pratt, and Petrones helped Penn State Altoona play even with the Yellow Jackets through the first 22 points, making it 11-11. Kills from Fisher, Petrones, and Fries, along with several Baldwin Wallace errors, kept the score tied, 18-18. But with Baldwin Wallace holding a 20-19 lead, the Yellow Jackets scored three in a row to widen the gap to 23-19, and they eventually took the third set by four, 25-21.

Penn State Altoona men's volleyball wraps up its participation in the Nazareth Tournament tomorrow, Saturday, March 8, with a pair of matches. The Lions will face host Nazareth at 1 p.m. to start their day, before finishing with a match against Juniata College at 3 p.m.