UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State men’s volleyball seniors Ryan Merk and Owen Rose have helped Team USA start 2-1 at the NORCECA Men’s Final Six in Ponce, Puerto Rico. The pair started two of the three matches, a 3-2 loss to Mexico and a 3-1 win over Dominican Republic.
Merk and Rose both picked up starting nods in the opening match against Mexico. Rose tallied two kills, four blocks, and one ace, while Merk led the team with 12 digs. Following a 3-1 win over Canada in which the two Nittany Lions didn’t play, they were back in the starting lineup in the win over Dominican Republic. Merk reached double-digits again with 11 digs, while Rose contributed four kills and one block.
USA has two more matches in round-robin play – Suriname on Thursday and Puerto Rico on Saturday. The top four teams in the six-team event move on to the semifinals on Saturday. The medal matches are scheduled for Sunday.
USA is the two-time defending champion in the NORCECA Men’s Final Six.