March 31, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - After helping the No. T12 Penn State men's volleyball team (17-6, 8-1) wrap up the 2014 regular season home slate with a pair of straight set victories, redshirt junior Nick Goodell and junior Aaron Russell have each received weekly conference recognition. Russell was selected as the EIVA Offensive Player of the Week, while Goodell was tabbed the Defensive Player of the Week.
Russell earned his fourth EIVA Offensive Player of the Week selection after recording two consecutive double digit kill performances during the week. He opened the weekend with 13 kills on .478 hitting in the win against Princeton before closing out the week with a match-high 16 kills, seven digs and three blocks against George Mason. Russell concluded the week ranked first on the squad with 4.82 kills per set with a .460 hitting clip.
Goodell notched his first EIVA Defensive Player of the Week selection in 2014 after registering six blocks and 10 digs during the 2-0 week at home. Against Princeton, he tallied 13 kills, three blocks and three digs, while also logging eight kills, seven digs and three blocks against George Mason. He closed out the weekend ranked second on the team with 1.67 digs per set, while also finishing second on the squad with 1.00 blocks per set.
Additionally, both Goodell and Russell are ranked within the top 25 nationally in kills per set. Russell's 4.01 kills per set ranks ninth in the nation and leads the EIVA, while Goodell's 3.54 kills per set ranks 21st nationally and second in the league.
Russell, Goodell and the rest of the Penn State men's volleyball team hit the road this weekend, traveling to Harvard and Sacred Heart for a pair of conference matchups. The Nittany Lions and the Crimson square off Friday, April 4 at 7 p.m., before visiting the Pioneers Saturday, April 5 for a 7 p.m. tilt.