UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State men’s volleyball players Owen Rose and Ryan Merk helped the U.S. National Team hand Puerto Rico its first loss of the NORCECA Men’s Final Six with a 3-2 (19-25, 25-23, 25-18, 23-25, 15-11) win Friday night.
Rose had a huge night defensively with seven blocks and added a pair of kills. Merk also contributed to the defensive effort with four digs.
USA finished round-robin play with a 4-1 record. The other wins came over Canada, Dominican Republic, and Suriname. The team now plays Mexico, the lone team to defeat USA thus far, in the semifinal round on Saturday at 6 p.m. ET.
USA, which is currently coached by Karch Kiraly, is the two-time defending champion in the event.
