March 5, 2011
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The 11th-ranked Penn State men's volleyball team (14-3, 7-0 EIVA) won its seventh straight match with a 3-1 (25-23, 22-25, 25-21, 25-19) victory at Springfield. Three Nittany Lions posted double-digit kills against the Pride.
Redshirt junior Joe Sunder (Greensburg, Pa.) led the team with 16 kills on .464 hitting, while sophomore Tom Comfort (Orchard Park, N.Y.) and freshman Jace Olsen (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) put down 12 and 11, respectively. Redshirt junior Edgardo Goas (San Juan, Puerto Rico) dished out 38 assists, while senior Dennis Del Valle (Toa Alta, Puerto Rico) had a team-best nine digs. Olsen and sophomore Ian Hendries (Cardiff, Calif.) each had a team-high four blocks.
Penn State hit .358 against the Pride and totaled 50 kills, seven aces, 30 digs and 10.0 total team blocks. Springfield registered a .346 attack percentage and had 53 kills, five aces, 31 digs and 8.0 team blocks.
The Nittany Lions grabbed a 6-3 lead to open the match, but Springfield kept it close fighting to within one, 10-9, after a 3-0 run. The Pride kept the Lions from taking control and used a 4-0 run to take a slim 15-14 lead. A Springfield service error had the set tied at 15-15, but two points by the Pride had Springfield leading 17-15. After a PSU timeout, a 5-1 PSU run had Penn State back on top, 20-18. The Pride capitalized on four PSU errors to come back to knot the score at 22-22 and force another Nittany Lions timeout. A kill by Comfort put PSU back ahead, a kill by Springfield's Cal Palumbo had the score tied at 23-23. A Springfield error put PSU at set-point, 24-23, and forced a Pride timeout. The timeout failed to faze the Lions as Sunder closed out the set with a kill for a 25-23 win.
The second set was close from the start with neither team developing the necessary momentum to take a commanding lead. It wasn't until the Pride took a 20-19 lead near the end of the set and Penn State called a timeout. Springfield's lead grew to two points, 21-19, after a kill from Alberto Bravo. However, a service error kept Penn State within one. PSU followed with a service error as well before back-to-back Sunder kills had the score tied at 22-22. Greg Falcone cut off a potential Penn State run with a kill before a Springfield block and a kill from Tommy Crow secured set two for the Pride, 25-22.
The Pride took a 6-3 lead in the third set, but Penn State fought back to tie the set early at 8-8. A Sunder kill put the Lions in the lead, but the score would tie twice more before kills from Sunder and Comfort had Penn State up by two, 12-10. A 3-0 run by the Pride had Springfield back in the lead, before a 6-1 Penn State run have the Lions a comfortable 18-14 advantage. Springfield called a timeout and managed to cut the gap to two, 20-18, and send Penn State to the bench. The timeout slowed the Pride enough to allow Penn State to keep control and claim set three, 25-21, for a 2-1 lead in the match. Comfort tallied a kill and an ace and Olsen notched a kill to help the Lions close out the set.
The fourth set started much like the second with neither team claiming a convincing lead. It wasn't until midway through the frame after a 5-1 PSU run gave Penn State a 15-11 lead. Springfield called two timeouts, but the Lions continued to control the set. With a 20-15 lead, a Comfort kill and two Pride errors had Penn State up by seven, 23-16. An ace by sophomore Nick Turko (Lewisberry, Pa.) put Penn State at match-point, but the Pride managed a 3-0 run to cut the gap to five, 24-19. A Springfield service error gave Penn State the win, 25-19.
What's Next?
The Nittany Lions head off to California March 9-12. Penn State is scheduled to take on UCLA on March 9, UC Santa Barbara on March 11 and Long Beach on March 12.
For more information on the Penn State men's volleyball team, please visit GoPSUsports.com. The Penn State men's volleyball 2011 season is presented by Rockvale Outlets and The Outlets at Hershey.