Feb. 19, 2009
University Park, Pa. - The top-ranked Penn State men's volleyball team (10-0) travels to the Midwest to face Loyola-Chicago and IPFW this weekend. The Nittany Lions and Ramblers square off on Friday, Feb. 20 at 7:00 p.m. CT (8:00 p.m. ET) in Chicago before the Lions meet the Mastodons on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 7:00 p.m. ET in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Live stats and video will be available via a link at www.GoPSUsports.com for both matches.
Previewing Penn State
The Nittany Lions come into the weekend with a 10-0 overall record after sweeping Harvard (30-13, 30-13, 30-20) and then-No. 14 Ohio State (30-20, 30-27, 30-21) last weekend at home. Junior outside hitter Will Price and senior opposite Ryan Sweitzer lead the squad with 3.84 and 3.75 kills per game, respectively, as three other starters average more than 2.00 kills per game, including junior middle hitter Max Lipsitz (2.78 kpg), redshirt freshman Joe Sunder (2.43 kpg) and senior middle hitter Max Holt (2.34 kpg), with Holt's coming on .602 hitting. Redshirt freshman setter Edgardo Goas directs the offense with 12.41 assists per game and sophomore libero Dennis Del Valle leads the defense with 2.88 digs per game. Both Holt and Lipsitz lead the blocking charts with 1.06 blocks per game. As a team, Penn State leads the nation in hitting percentage, attacking at a .405 clip while averaging 15.53 kills per game, a country-best 2.29 service aces per game, 8.76 digs per game and 2.63 blocks per game.
Scouting Loyola-Chicago
The Ramblers enter Friday's match with a 5-3 record after dropping a five-game contest to UCLA (22-30, 30-26, 27-30, 30-25, 18-20) and a four-game match at Lewis (25-30, 23-30, 30-27, 28-30) in their last two outings. Freshman outside hitter Mike Bunting leads the team with 4.25 kills per game as junior outside hitter Krisjanis Berzins chips in 3.63 kills per game. Sophomore setter Michael Hutz directs the offense with 12.83 assists per game while redshirt freshman libero Tommy Becker leads the defense with 2.76 digs per game. Junior middle hitter Michael Morice heads the blocking list with 1.08 blocks per game. As a team, Loyola is hitting .287 with 15.00 kills per game, 2.06 service aces per game, 9.50 digs per game and 2.19 blocks per game.
The Series: Penn State vs. Loyola-Chicago
Penn State leads Loyola-Chicago, 6-5, in a series that began in 1996. The last meeting was a three-game Nittany Lion win (30-21, 30-18, 30-28) on April 11, 2008, in Chicago, Ill.
Scouting IPFW
The Mastodons come into the weekend with a 6-3 record after defeating Grand Canyon twice (30-19, 32-34, 30-28, 30-26 and 30-17, 30-27, 30-20) last weekend at home. Sophomore opposite Ben Duckworth and sophomore outside hitter Darryl Shank lead the team with 3.93 and 3.62 kills per game, respectively, as junior middle hitter Oliver Kook chips in 2.21 kills per game. Freshman setter Dan Mader directs the team with 10.12 assists per game as junior libero Matt Pliske heads the defense with 2.10 digs per game. Junior middle hitter Nathaniel Berg heads the blocking list with 1.23 blocks per game while Kook chips in 1.21 blocks per game. As a team, IPFW is hitting .218 with 13.44 kills per game, 1.69 aces per game, 8.91 digs per game and 2.84 blocks per game.
The Series: Penn State vs. IPFW
Penn State leads IPFW, 35-13, in a series that began in 1984. The last meeting was a three-game Nittany Lion win (30-20, 30-27, 32-30) on April 12, 2008, in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Next Up
Penn State returns home to host EIVA foe Saint Francis on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 7:00 p.m. at Rec Hall. The Nittany Lions then host Lewis on Friday, Feb. 27 at 7:00 p.m. and NJIT on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 2:00 p.m.
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.