Feb. 11, 2012
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The No. 5 Penn State men's volleyball team (8-1, 2-0 EIVA) earned a 3-0 (25-15, 25-15, 25-23) victory against conference foe NJIT (4-5, 0-2 EIVA). Penn State hits the road on Feb. 17-18 to continue EIVA play versus Harvard and Sacred Heart.
Junior Tom Comfort (Orchard Park, N.Y.) and sophomore Peter Russell (Ellicott City, Md.) tallied nine kills apiece on .533 and .643 hitting, respectively. Redshirt senior Joe Sunder (Greensburg, Pa.) was second on the team with seven kills. Redshirt senior Edgardo Goas (San Juan, Puerto Rico) registered 25 assists, while senior Tor Covello (Yardley, Pa.) took over in set three and tallied 13. Redshirt freshman Connor Curry (Newport Beach, Calif.) posted five digs, while junior Ian Hendries (Cardiff, Calif.), Goas and junior Nick Turko (Lewisberry, Pa.) recorded two blocks each.
Penn State hit a smoking .486 against the Highlanders, while totaling 42 kills, six aces, 21 digs and 4.0 total team blocks. NJIT finished the night with a .182 hitting percentage with 27 kills, two aces, 15 digs and 1.0 team block.
The first set was close until well past the halfway point of the set. With a 14-12 edge, two straight errors by NJIT and an ace from redshirt freshman Nick Goodell (Ambridge, Pa.) moved Penn State ahead by five, 17-12. After a Highlander timeout, a Sunder kill and another NJIT ace increased PSU's lead to seven, 19-12. The teams traded points momentarily until a Goodell kill and an NJIT error had the Nittany Lions within two points of winning set one, 23-14. NJIT used its second timeout and managed one final kill before another putdown by Goodell and a Highlander error secured set one for Penn State, 25-15.
The second frame began much like the first, but Penn State was able to take control much earlier. With a 9-7 lead, a 7-1 Penn State run had the Lions leading by eight, 16-8. Despite four errors bringing the Highlanders within four, 18-14, an ace and a kill from Sunder plus an NJIT service error had Penn State's lead at six, 21-15. Following an NJIT timeout, a second Sunder ace, a Comfort kill and two Highlander errors closed out the set for Penn State, 25-15.
NJIT led for much of the third stanza. Midway through the set, the Highlanders had a 13-9 lead forcing a Penn State timeout. The break slowed the Highlanders enough to allow the Lions to mount a 7-3 run to close the gap to one, 17-16. NJIT called a timeout, but thanks to a 4-1 run the Nittany Lions took control, 20-19. The Highlanders knotted the score at 20-20, but a putdown by Comfort and an NJIT attack error moved Penn State ahead by two, 22-20. NJIT burned its final timeout and allowed the Nittany Lions to reach match point, 24-20. The Highlanders held PSU at set point for three straight points to be within one of tying it up, 24-23. However, a service error ended the match in Penn State's favor, 25-23.
For more information on the Penn State men's volleyball team, please visit GoPSUsports.com. The Penn State men's volleyball 2012 season is presented by Rockvale Outlets.
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