UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The fourth-ranked Penn State men's volleyball team heads to New England for its first two EIVA road matches of the season when they'll take on Harvard and Sacred Heart Friday and Saturday, Feb. 11-12.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Dates: Friday, Feb. 11 | Saturday, Feb. 12
Times: 7 p.m. Friday | 4 p.m. Saturday
Stats: Harvard | Sacred Heart
Streams: Harvard (ESPN+) | Sacred Heart (NEC Front Row)
Game Notes: Penn State Game Notes
VS. THE CRIMSON AND PIONEERS
PSU is 19-3 all time against Harvard, though they have not played the Crimson since Feb. 2020. The Nittany Lions are riding a three-match win streak against Harvard currently.
PSU is 21-2 all-time against Sacred Heart, including a nine-match win streak dating back to 2018. The Nittany Lions beat the Pioneers 12-1 in four matches.
LAST TIME OUT
The Nittany Lions started their EIVA schedule with two convincing 2-0 victories last weekend at Rec Hall. On Friday, Feb. 4, PSU took down Princeton 3-0, which included a dominant 25-7 third-set victory. That match win proceeded a brief pre-match ceremony to raise the 2021 EIVA championship banner.
On Saturday, Feb. 5, Penn State added a second 3-0 win over George Mason behind pin hitters Brett Wildman and Cal Fisher who combined for 32 kills in the win.
MATCH NOTES AND INFORMATION
- Penn State bumped up to No. 4 in both the AVCA coaches poll and Off the Block media poll this week. PSU ranked as high as third in the AVCA poll this season (Jan. 18) and 2nd in the OTB poll (Jan. 19), its highest ranking ever in the media poll since its creation in 2016.
- Senior outside hitter Brett Wildman was named EIVA offensive player of the week after 26 kills hitting .426 in last week's matches. He had 17 kills with a .500 H% vs. George Mason. He exploded for 18 kills hitting .438 in PSU's win over now No. 1 Long Beach Jan. 29. He ranks second on PSU with 13 service aces this season.
- Sophomore middle blocker Toby Ezeonu was named EIVA offensive player of the week two weeks ago thanks to a special night at Long Beach Jan. 29. Ezeonu had 16 kills on 17 swings without an error to hit .941. That is the most kills without an error by a PSU middle blocker in the 25-point rally scoring era (since 2011). He had five kills and two of his five blocks in the fifth-and-deciding game.
- Senior opposite Cal Fisher continues to dominate at the right pin for the Nittany Lions, leading the team with 129 kills, including seven matches of double-digit kills. The 2021 Off the Block Server of the Year has 16 aces through 10 matches, and moved into fifth all-time in PSU history with 111 career aces.
- Senior setter Cole Bogner was named an Off The Block January All-American for his performance to begin the season for the Nittany Lions. His 351 assists are 2nd most in the country and his 10.32 assists per set ranks fourth nationwide.
- Penn State nationally: 61 total aces (4th), 1.79 aces per set (7th), 338 kills (4th), 312 H% (11th), 278 digs (12th). Cal Fisher ranks 9th in the country with 4.62 points per set and 11th in kills per set (3.79). Cole Bogner ranks fourth with 10.32 assists per set.
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