It didn’t look promising for Mark Pavlik’s team on Sunday when it trailed two sets to top-ranked Ohio State. Luckily for the Nittany Lions, Pavlik had one more trick up his sleeve in two impact players off the bench.

Senior Luke Snyder has sat on the bench for the majority of his career behind two-time EIVA Player-of-the-Year setter Cole Bogner. Following Bogner’s graduation, this appeared to be the year Snyder finally would have the chance to make his impact.

But then came Michael Schwob, a freshman from Annapolis, Maryland. Even though it’s his first season in the blue and white, Schwob earned the majority of the minutes this season over veteran Snyder. When the match seemed to fall out of the youngster’s control on Sunday, Snyder stepped up to right the ship in the third set.

Snyder was instrumental in completing the reverse sweep over the Buckeyes, picking up 23 assists over the final three sets. Pavlik noted Snyder’s great mentality and preparation on why he felt comfortable calling his number in a high-pressure situation.

“For [Schwob], it’s probably the first time he was pulled from a match, and for [Snyder], the first time he’s had success so you got to respond to both of those — to failure and success,” Pavlik said.

Penn State lacks no talent at the setter position from Snyder or Schwob. In the future, having two choices is a great problem for Pavlik and his staff. Both players will continue to push for playing time as the season rolls on.

“What their role is or becomes kind of depends on everything around them and what they do every day in practice,” Pavlik said.

Will Kuhns saw his number off Pavlik’s bench in the third set inside Rec Hall just like Snyder’s. The senior and captain hasn’t always been the most consistent piece in the lineup during his time in State College.

Despite that, Pavlik expressed his belief and confidence in Kuhns following the upset. Kuhns replaced a struggling John Kerr, who has had a good season for the Nittany Lions after transferring in ahead of last season. Sunday wasn’t Kerr’s best day, setting up Kuhns’ best opportunity to date.

The Greensburg, Pennsylvania, native finished with four kills, with a few of his biggest plays coming at the most important moments of the match for the blue and white.

“[Kerr]’s on the bench screaming just like he is on the court. So, it’s very special, where you have a team that buys into the success of those around them because when they do that, their success rises, too,” Pavlik said.

This year’s Penn State team bought into its identity and depth early on in the 2024 season. The group is OK with its teammates getting more playing time or filling the stat sheet more than themselves. If it benefits the team, the group can get behind it.

Heading into EIVA conference play, the Nittany Lions will need to rely on depth. The men’s volleyball schedule runs from early January into mid-May, and the most successful teams in May have quality depth throughout the season. No team can ride on the coattails of its starters to the NCAA Tournament, no matter the talent it has.

“It’s such a long season for us. I don’t know if there’s another season in the NCAA that’s as long as men’s volleyball, but it’s always how you respond,” Pavlik said. “You keep building until you get to the EIVA Championships which really is the main goal for us.”

Pavlik knows the goal is to win the EIVA Tournament and receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. From there, “anything can happen.”