DALLAS, Pa. – Penn State Altoona men's volleyball finished its first weekend of the 2018 season with a spotless record after 3-0 whitewashes of Neumann University and Hiram College on Saturday in the Misericordia University Cougar Kickoff Classic at the Anderson Center.

The Lions (4-0) wrapped up the two-day Misericordia Classic as the only undefeated team, earning the championship status for the event.

Penn State Altoona cruised to a 25-9, 25-12, 25-23 win over Neumann (0-4) in its first match of the day.

Dylan Appleman (Roaring Spring, PA/Central) led the Lions in kills with five, and he also had four digs and two service aces. Dan Downs (Reading, PA/Daniel Boone), Ryan Dry (Douglassville, PA/Daniel Boone), and Kaleb Gahagan (Williamsburg, PA/Central) each added four kills.

Brandon Arentz (Mount Wolf, PA/Northeastern) put up a team-high 16 assists while also leading Penn State Altoona in aces with three. Tommy Kisick (Latrobe, PA/Greater Latrobe) contributed 12 assists.

Ian Rathgeb (Douglassville, PA/Daniel Boone) and Tanner Yaw (Palmyra, PA/Palmyra) tied for the team lead in digs with seven.

In the Lions' second and final match of the day, the team got past Hiram (3-1) by scores of 25-13, 25-22, and 25-19.

Downs led Penn State Altoona with 10 kills to go along with one solo block and one block assist. Brian Sheddy (Shrewsbury, PA/Susquehannock) added nine kills and four digs, and Dry totaled five kills and three block assists. Justin Bannister (Willow Hill, PA/Fannett-Metal) had four kills while contributing five digs, one solo block, and one block assist.

Kisick led the Lions in assists with 23, and he also chipped in four digs and two solo blocks. Arentz had a team-high eight digs, and Jonathan Ruhl (Lancaster, PA/Manheim Township) posted six digs.

Next up, Lions volleyball hosts its first home match of the season on Wednesday, January 24, when Penn State Altoona welcomes non-conference opponent Thiel College to the Adler Arena for a 7:00 p.m. contest.

Notes: At the conclusion of the Misericordia Classic, Lions sophomore setter Kisick was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player, and he joined senior middle hitter Downs as Penn State Altoona's selections to the All-Tournament Team. In four matches this weekend, Kisick had 71 assists and five total blocks, while Downs posted 24 kills and five blocks.