Feb. 28, 2008
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The top-ranked Penn State men's volleyball team (16-0, 7-0 EIVA) hosts two EIVA opponents this weekend at Rec Hall. On Friday, Feb. 29, the Nittany Lions square off with East Stroudsburg at 7:00 p.m. in the main gym of Rec Hall. On Saturday, March 1, Penn State takes on NJIT at 7:00 p.m. in the south gym of Rec Hall. Gametracker and free live video will be available for the East Stroudsburg match at www.GoPSUsports.com and admission to both contests is free.
Previewing Penn State
The Nittany Lions enter Friday's match with the top ranking in the country as the only undefeated team in the nation at 16-0. Junior outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) leads the team and ranks second in the country with 5.60 kills per game while junior opposite Ryan Sweitzer (Lancaster, Pa.) adds in 3.43 kills per game and junior middle hitter Max Holt (Cincinnati, Ohio) provides 3.20 kills per game on a nation-best .568 hitting. Senior setter Luke Murray (East Petersburg, Pa.) directs the offense with 13.27 assists per game and freshman libero Dennis Del Valle (Toa Alta, Puerto Rico) tops the defense with 2.71 digs per game. Holt leads the squad with 1.35 blocks per game while sophomore middle hitter Max Lipsitz (Williamsville, N.Y.) chips in 1.14 blocks per game. As a team, Penn State is leading the country in hitting percentage, attacking at a .390 clip with 16.10 kills per game, 1.67 service aces per game, 8.94 digs per game and 3.21 blocks per game while holding its opponents to a .165 hitting percentage.
The Series: Penn State vs. East Stroudsburg
Penn State leads East Stroudsburg, 49-5, in a series that began in 1977. The last meeting was just two matches ago on Feb. 20 and was a three-game Nittany Lion win (30-21, 30-19, 30-20) in East Stroudsburg, Pa.
The Series: Penn State vs. NJIT
Penn State leads NJIT, 25-1, in a series that began in 1977. The last meeting was a three-game Nittany Lion win (30-27, 30-23, 30-25) on Feb. 2, 2007 in Newark, N.J.
Next Up
Penn State takes to the road for the next two weekends, traveling to George Mason and Princeton on March 7-8 before heading to the West Coast to face NAIA-power Cal Baptist on March 14 before meeting No. 2 Long Beach State for a March 15 showdown at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, Calif. Penn State returns to Rec Hall on March 28 for a 7:00 p.m. meeting with Ohio State.
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