March 3, 2017
| 3 | 1 |
| Rec Hall | University Park, Pa. | 512 | |
| POST GAME LINKS |
| Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) |
| FINAL STATISTICS |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - No. 15 Penn State (12-6, 6-2) downed No. 13 UC Santa Barbara (7-10, 4-9) 3-1 Friday night at Rec Hall in non-conference action.
Penn State recorded a season high 19.5 team blocks with two Nittany Lions recording double-doubles along the way.
Kevin Gear finished with a line of 10 kills - a career high - on 17 attempts hitting .471, while adding one dig and 11 blocks to earn Mike Anderson Player of the Match.
The second double-double came from Aidan Albrecht who finished the night with 13 kills hitting .333 for the match and adding 10 blocks.
Luke Braswell finished the night with 37 assist on the night, Royce Clemens recorded 10 digs -- a team high -- and Gear led the Lions in service aces with two.
Penn State took the opening set 25-19, while UC Santa Barbara handled the Nittany Lions in the second set 25-16 to knot the match up 1-1 heading into the break.
Penn State jumped out to a7-3 lead in the third set leading by four following a Matt Callaway kill from Luke Braswell.
UC Santa Barbara kept in touch with the Nittany Lions coming within three points off a Penn State attack error that prompted a Mark Pavlik timeout.
The two squads traded points until Penn State took the set 25-21 and took a 2-1 lead heading into the fourth.
Penn State and UC Santa Barbara played the fourth set very close with neither team leading by more than three eventually finding themselves in a tie 21-21 with Penn State calling timeout after the Nittany Lion attack error.
The Lions closed out the set on a 3-2 run capped by a kill from Aidan Albrecht.
Penn State returns tomorrow night to take on No. 8 Stanford at 7:30 p.m. in Rec Hall.
For more on Nittany Lion men's volleyball, log onto www.GoPSUsports.com or follow the team on Twitter @PennStateMVBall