Jan. 27, 2009
University Park, Pa. -
The top-ranked Penn State men's volleyball team (4-0) welcomes EIVA foe Juniata to Rec Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 28 for a 7:00 p.m. contest. Gametracker and live streaming video will be available at www.GoPSUsports.com.
Previewing Penn State
The Nittany Lions come into Wednesday's match with an overall record of 4-0 after defeating then-No. 13 Ball State in four games (30-20, 24-30, 30-19, 30-26) last weekend at Rec Hall. Senior opposite Ryan Sweitzer and junior outside hitter Will Price lead the squad with 3.88 and 3.44 kills per game, respectively, as junior middle hitter Max Lipsitz adds in 2.88 kills per game on .480 hitting. Redshirt freshman setter Edgardo Goas directs the offense with 12.12 assists per game as sophomore libero Dennis Del Valle tops the defense with 2.81 digs per game. Lipsitz and senior middle hitter Max Holt head the blocking list with 1.19 and 1.00 blocks per game, respectively. As a team, Penn State is hitting .345 with 14.56 kills per game, 2.25 service aces per game, 8.69 digs per game and 2.53 blocks per game.
The Series: Penn State vs. Juniata
Penn State leads Juniata, 32-0, in a series that began in 1993. The last meeting was a three-game Nittany Lion win (30-16, 30-17, 30-20) on March 25, 2008 in Huntingdon, Pa. The last meeting at Rec Hall was a three-game Penn State win (30-21, 30-22, 30-20) on Feb. 5, 2008.
Lipsitz Named EIVA Player of the Week
Penn State men's volleyball junior middle hitter Max Lipsitz has been named the EIVA Player of the Week, conference officials announced. The honor is the third of his career and the first for a Nittany Lion this season. Lipsitz helped the top-ranked Nittany Lions (4-0) to a four-game win over then-No. 13 Ball State in the team's home opener last Friday. He ranked second on the team with 14 kills and led the squad with .650 hitting, also posting five blocks, one ace and one dig for a total of 17.5 points, good for the second highest total on the squad.
Serving Up A Storm
Penn State has been dominant from behind the service line in 2009, posting two double-digit team ace matches and four matches of five or more team aces. The Nittany Lions recorded 12 aces in the season-opener against Southern California (1/8), eight against Ohio State (1/9), six at Hawaii (1/10) and 10 versus Ball State (1/23). As a team, Penn State has 36 team service aces for the season while allowing its opponents only 13.
You've Been Served
With his 11 aces at the Outrigger Invitational, senior middle hitter Max Holt moved into first place on the all-time career service aces chart. Holt blasted a new rally-scoring-era school record seven aces in the season-opener against Southern California on Jan. 8, falling just shy of the all-time school record of nine aces, set by John Wasielewski in 1990.
Next Up
Penn State travels to Saint Francis on Friday, Jan. 30 before returning home to host Springfield on Saturday, Jan. 31. The Nittany Lions then host Harvard and Ohio State on Feb. 13-14 at Rec Hall. Prior to the match with the Buckeyes, there will be a ceremony to raise the 2008 NCAA Championship banner to the Rec Hall rafters.
For more information on the Penn State men's volleyball team, please visit www.GoPSUsports.com. The Penn State men's volleyball 2009 season is presented by Rockvale Outlets and The Outlets At Hershey.