Match Stats
- No. 13 Penn State 3, NJIT 1 (21-25, 25-23, 25-21, 25-21)
- Penn State moves to 16-9, 8-2 EIVA; NJIT falls to 13-9, 6-5 EIVA
- University Park, Pa.
- Attendance: 835
- Box Score
No. 13 Penn State won its third match of the week, staving off NJIT in four sets Saturday night. The Nittany Lions won the match 21-25, 25-23, 25-21, 25-21 to remain atop the EIVA standings at 8-2, increasing their lead over the second place team by two matches (6-4).
Redshirt junior outside hitter Aidan Albrecht and redshirt freshman opposite Calvin Mende led PSU with 13 kills apiece, while senior outside Chris Nugent added 12. Mende also accounted for eight digs and two aces, while Albrecht put up a team-best four blocks. Redshirt sophomore libero Royce Clemens led the Nittany Lion defense with 13 digs.
Senior outside Jabary Goodridge led all hitter with 23 kills, while hitting at a .400 clip. Redshirt senior outside Brad Thele added nine kills, while redshirt sophomore middle Kevin Myren and redshirt junior opposite Raymond Kowalski chipped in seven apiece. Myren led the team with four blocks, while Kowalski added two aces and six digs. Redshirt sophomore libero Shannon Heckman led the backcourt with 14 digs, while sophomore setter Ricardo Whitaker posted a double-double, combining 10 digs with his 47 assists.
Penn State outhit NJIT .302 to .235 in the match.
NJIT worked up to a 10-6 lead in Set 1 as Thele pounded down three kills and Goodridge added two. Penn State was within one twice, last at 12-11. An ace by Kowalski put the Highlanders back up four at 19-15. The teams split the next 10 points, but NJIT went up ahead 24-20 on a PSU service error and clinched the set on a Goodridge kill.
Set 2 featured 17 tie scores, last at 22-all. Neither team boasted more than a two-point edge, until NJIT scored three straight on PSU miscues to take a 21-18 lead. The Nittany Lions went ahead 22-21 with a 4-0 run, including an ace by redshirt senior middle blocker Matt Callaway. A Myren kill tied it up at 22, but Penn State ended the set with three of the next four points, including a Mende ace and a triple block by freshman setter Nathan Smith, redshirt junior middle Kevin Gear and Albrecht.
Trailing 5-3 in Set 3, Penn State scored four straight with help from three NJIT miscues to go ahead 7-5 and take a lead which the Nittany Lions would not relinquish. Another 4-0 run, including three more Highlander errors, made it a five-point game at 15-10. NJIT was within two at 19-17 and 21-19, but could not stop Penn State. An ace by Gear and a Highlander service error put PSU on the hill at 24-20. Another NJIT serving miscue capped the 25-21 win.
Penn State carried the momentum into Set 4, jumping out to an 8-4 advantage. NJIT rallied with seven of the next eight points to go ahead 11-9. Kills by four different players and a Whitaker ace put the Highlanders on top. Penn State capitalized on four NJIT miscues to rally for an 18-16 advantage. The teams tied at 18 and 19, before the Nittany Lions closed out the night on a 6-2 run.
Watch the match here.
PRESS RELEASES
Courtesy: Penn State Athletics
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- The No. 13 Penn State Nittany Lions finished off their three-game stretch with a 3-1 (21-25, 25-23, 25-21, 25-21) win over the Highlanders of NJIT Saturday night in Rec Hall.
Aidan Albrecht and Calvin Mende led the Nittany Lions in kills with 13 kills apiece. Chris Nugent also saw double figures as he posted 12 kills hitting .407. On the defense, Royce Clemens led the team in digs posting 13.
The Highlanders started off the night with a 25-21 win over the Nittany Lions in the opening set.
The second set was a game of back-and-forths as the score tied 16-times. Tied at 18-18, NJIT went on a 3-0 run to take the largest lead of the set at 21-18. Penn State rallied in the set tying the game up at 21-21, and then again at 22-22. An NJIT service error and a service ace by Mende gave Penn State a 2-point lead at 24-22 and forced NJIT to call a timeout. Out of the timeout, a Kill by NJIT’s Jabarry Goodridge brought the Highlanders within one of the Nittany Lions. A block on the next point courtesy of Nathan Smith, Kevin Gear and Albrecht ultimately gave the Nittany Lions a 25-23 victory in set two, sending the teams break tied 1-1.
The Nittany Lions got things going out of the break as they found themselves with a 7-5 lead early in the third set. NJIT chipped away at Penn States lead and was able to tie up the score at 8-8. A kill by Mende followed by an attack error by NJIT gave Penn State a two-point lead that they would not relinquish.
The Nittany Lions went on to win the third set 25-21.
Penn State carried their momentum to the fourth where they opened on a 5-1 run. The Highlanders tied up the game at 9-9, and forced a Nittany Lion timeout when a kill by NJIT’s Goodridge gave them their first lead of the set at 10-9. The lead changed five teams before the teams eventually tied at 19-19.
Penn State Preceded to go on a three-point run before closing out the fourth set 25-21.
With the win, Penn State moves to 8-2 in conference play and 16-9 overall. Penn state currently leads the EIVA and is the only team with less than four losses in conference action.
Penn State returns to action Friday, April 7 as they travel to Fairfield, CT for a road match against Sacred Heart at 7:00 p.m. ET.
For more on Nittany Lion men’s volleyball, log onto www.GoPSUsports.com or follow the team on Twitter @PennStateMVBall
Courtesy: NJIT Athletics
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA – NJIT men’s volleyball dropped a 3-1 decision to #13 Penn State Saturday night in their second consecutive EIVA Conference match-up.
The Highlanders (13-9, 6-5 EIVA) were led by senior Jabarry Goodridge who posted a game-high 23 kills, followed by Brad Thele with nine and Raymond Kowalski with seven. Kevin Myren added four blocks while Luke Robbe and Ricardo Whitaker notched three apiece. Whitaker tallied a game-high 47 assists and grabbed 10 digs while Shannon Heckman made a game-high 14 digs.
For the Nittany Lions (16-9, 8-2 EIVA) Aiden Albrecht and Calvin Mende contributed 13 kills each with Albrecht also posting four blocks.
NJIT won the first set with seven kills from Goodridge, who leads the EIVA in kills (370), kills per set (4.57), points (428) and points per set (5.3). Taking an early 2-0 lead, the Highlanders never faltered winning 25-21.
In a close second set there were seven lead changes throughout. Each team battled back and forth until Penn State took a late 24-22 lead, and were able to hold on for the win after a three person block by Nathan Smith, Kevin Gear and Aiden Albrecht against Goodridge, 25-23.
After scoring four straight points in the middle of the third to take a 15-10 lead after three Highlander errors and a kill by Albrecht, the Nittany Lions never diminished their lead winning 25-21.
The final set had two lead changes and the score was tied four times. With an early 3-0 Penn State start, NJIT fought back earning five points with kills by Kevin Myren and Goodridge and a serving ace from Whitaker. The lead would last until point 16, with three consecutive Highlander errors, the Nittany Lions regained the lead 17-16. NJIT would tie the score at 18 with another Goodridge kill and again at 19 with a Penn State error. But Albrecht’s final kill of the match on their 20th point gave the Nittany Lions the final lead never looking back winning 25-21.
The Highlanders will host EIVA opponent George Mason on Friday April 7 for a 7pm match in the Fleisher Athletic Center.
Leave a Reply