Conference News
No. 6 Men’s Volleyball Sweeps No. 14 Loyola
No. 6 Men’s Volleyball Sweeps No. 14 Loyola
CHICAGO, Ill., Jan. 20, 2012 – The sixth-ranked Penn State
men’s volleyball team (2-0) earned a 3-0 (25-21, 25-21,
26-24) victory against No. 14 Loyola-Chicago Friday evening. The
match was delayed until 9 p.m. ET due to inclement weather.
Redshirt senior Joe Sunder (Greensburg, Pa.) and sophomore Jace
Olsen (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) led the team with 11 kills apiece,
while freshman Aaron Russell (Ellicott City, Md.) posted a
personal-best 10 kills on .625 hitting.
Redshirt senior Edgardo Goas (San Juan, Puerto Rico) paced the
Nittany Lion offense with 38 assists and had a team-best four total
blocks. Redshirt freshman Connor Curry (Newport Beach, Calif.) led
the team on defense with seven digs. The Nittany Lions hit .346
against the Ramblers and totaled 43 kills, three aces, 25 digs and
8.0 total team blocks. Loyola registered a .224 hitting percentage
and had 31 kills, two aces, 18 digs and 12.5 team blocks.
Penn State took a 4-1 lead to open the match. The Nittany Lions
maintained at least a two-point lead until a Loyola service error
and a kill by Comfort had Penn State ahead by four, 11-7, and the
Ramblers taking a timeout. After the break, Penn State embarked on
a 6-2 run for a 16-10 lead forcing a second Rambler trip to the
bench. The Ramblers closed the gap to four, 18-14, but a Loyola
service error and three straight Olsen kills had the Lions leading
by eight, 22-14. Joseph Smalzer cut off the run with a kill and
soon after a 5-2 Loyola run had the Ramblers within three, 24-21.
However, Sunder closed out the set for PSU with a kill for a 25-21
win.
The second frame began much like the first with the Lions grabbing
an early, albeit slim, lead. It wasn’t until midway through
the set that Penn State began to take control. A Sunder kill and a
joint stuff by Russell and Comfort pushed the Lions up by three,
14-11, and forced a Rambler timeout. The teams traded points
briefly as Penn Stae’s lead increased to five, 20-15. Loyola
called a timeout and slowed the Nittany Lions enough to come within
three, 21-18. Penn State called a timeout and each team proceeded
to tally three service errors to make it 24-21 in favor of Penn
State. Russell pounded a kill to secure set two for PSU, 25-21.
The Ramblers took the lead in the third stanza going up 8-5 to
start. Penn State called a timeout, but continued to trail until
kills from Olsen, Russell and Sunder knotted the score at 14-14.
The score tied once more before a Loyola error and a Sunder putdown
moved Penn State into the lead, 17-15. Loyola called a timeout and
managed to tie it up at 18 all. The score tied six additional times
with the lead changing hand three times before an Olsen kill and a
Rambler error had PSU at match point, 25-24. Comfort and Russell
teamed up for a block to end the match in PSU’s favor,
26-24.
Story Courtesy of Penn State Athletics
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