April 5, 2012
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The seventh-ranked Penn State men's volleyball team (18-3, 11-0 EIVA) returns home after a seven-match road trip on April 6-7 when it hosts Sacred Heart and Harvard at Rec Hall. The Nittany Lions face the Pioneers on Friday at 7 p.m. and take on the Crimson on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Nittany Lion Preview
The Nittany Lions improved to 18-3 overall and remain undefeated in EIVA action at 11-0 after defeating Princeton and George Mason on the road on March 30-31.
Redshirt senior Joe Sunder (Greensburg, Pa.) led Penn State with 3.67 kills per set, while freshman Aaron Russell (Ellicott City, Md.) had 2.89 kills per set. Redshirt senior Edgardo Goas (San Juan, Puerto Rico) dished out 12.44 assists per set, and matched junior Nick Turko (Lewisberry, Pa.) 0.44 aces per set. Redshirt freshman Connor Curry (Newport Beach, Calif.) registered 3.56 digs per set and Russell and Goas led the team in blocks with 0.78 per set.
For the weekend Penn State hit .287 and averaged 14.67 kills per set, 13.33 assists per set, 1.33 aces per set, 9.00 digs per set and 1.72 blocks per set.
Penn State vs. Sacred Heart
The Nittany Lions are 3-0 all-time against the Pioneers. The squads met earlier this season on Feb. 18 with Penn State earning a 3-0 win. Prior to that, there had been an eight year hiatus with the teams' last meeting in 2004. Penn State won both matches, including an EIVA Quarterfinal win on April 24.
Last three meetings:
2/18/12, A - W, 25-15, 25-20, 25-15
4/24/04, H - W, 30-23, 30-23, 30-18
3/19/04, H - W, 30-24, 30-23, 30-23
Scouting the Pioneers
Sacred Heart is 5-18 overall and 2-9 in the EIVA. The Pioneers are currently ranked seventh in the conference. Sacred Heart snapped an 11-match losing streak on March 31 with a 3-1 victory against Rutgers-Newark.
Penn State vs. Harvard
The Nittany Lions own a 4-0 series record with the Crimson. Penn State visited Harvard earlier this season earning a 3-0 sweep. This weekend will be Harvard's first visit to Penn State since 2009 when the Nittany Lions won, 3-0, on Feb. 13.
Last three meetings:
2/17/12, A - W, 25-20, 25-13, 25-17
2/13/09, H - W, 30-13, 30-13, 30-20
4/22/00, H - W, 15-5, 15-6, 15-2
Scouting the Crimson
Harvard sits at second place behind the Nittany Lions in the conference with a 16-3 overall record and an 8-2 record in league play. The Crimson's two conference losses came at the hands of George Mason on Feb. 10 and Penn State on Feb. 17. After a loss at Pepperdine on March 12, Harvard has won its last four matches. The Crimson takes on Saint Francis on April 6 before coming to Penn State.
What's Next?
Penn State is back on the road on April 13-14 with back-to-back matches at BYU. Action is set for 9 p.m. ET both nights.
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.
The Penn State men's volleyball team is on Twitter. Follow @PSUVolleyball to get the inside scoop.