No. 20 Penn State men’s volleyball (2-7) swept Saint Francis (1-9) in a highly contested match on Friday night in Loretto, Pennsylvania. The match was the first part of a home-and-home series between the two teams.

The Nittany Lions and Red Flash fought hard through all three sets, but it was ultimately the young talent from the Penn State squad who provided the edge.

How It Happened

Will Kuhns started as the server for the Nittany Lions, as Penn State got on the board first courtesy of a Saint Francis attack error. After a service ace for the Red Flash, followed by a block by Penn State at the net, the game was knotted at two points a piece. The teams continued to exchange points, as redshirt sophomore Matthew Luoma earned a kill. He gave it right back on the following point as his serve hit the net.

With the score even at six, Kuhns collected a point for the Nittany Lions with a forceful kill on the outside. He committed an attack error on the next point. Saint Francis finally broke the one-point margin as it took an 11-8 lead, the largest thus far in the match. This prompted head coach Mark Pavlik to call his first timeout of the evening.

Penn State came out strong after the break, as Gaige Gabriel recorded a kill. After a block attempt by the Red Flash missed just wide, the Nittany Lions found themselves within one. The lead for Saint Francis held steady for a while, as a kill from Owen Rose kept the set close.

The team from Loretto was able to build on their lead, as it marched ahead 16-13. But the gritty Nittany Lions weren’t ready to bow out just yet. They tied the score at 17 with another kill by Kuhns and a block by Miller Trubey, paving the way. A Saint Francis attack error gave the Nittany Lions a lead as the end of the first set drew near.

Saint Francis clawed back on top, but a block by Matt Cosgrove denied the Red Flash a two-point lead. A kill by Kuhns tied the score at 22 before a timeout was called by Saint Francis.

Play was halted for roughly five minutes as the replay table dealt with an apparent camera issue.

Penn State was the initial beneficiary of the long stoppage, as Gabriel notched a kill immediately following the break. The score was tied at 24 before a critical attack error by Kuhns gave Saint Francis a set point. Penn State called a timeout down by one, hoping to salvage the opening set.

A service error by Andrew Deardorff and a kill by Rose put the Nittany Lions ahead 26-25, with Penn State now holding the key to a first-set victory. Saint Francis called a timeout. The Nittany Lions couldn’t immediately close out the set, as a kill by Sam Lane tied the score. The teams exchanged the next two points.

A service error by the Red Flash gave Penn State another set point, but Saint Francis tied it once again. A kill by Kuhns put Penn State in prime position. During the next point, a net violation was initially called, but on further review it was determined that there was no infraction. Penn State took the exciting, back-and-forth first set, 30-28.

Saint Francis started off the second set strong, taking the first two points. Two kills by Luoma put the Nittany Lions on the board, but they found themselves in a 4-2 hole early on. The Red Flash continued to storm ahead, as a powerful kill by Kyle Charles helped Saint Francis build on their lead.

The Nittany Lions refused to quit. A 5-0 run gave Penn State a 9-7 lead, with help from a few Saint Francis errors. Head coach Mike Rumbaugh called a timeout with his team trailing by two. 

A kill attempt by Kuhns was rejected by Charles and Lane, as Saint Francis found themselves in a tied score. A kill by Gaige Gabriel gave Penn State a lead, as the freshman continued his dominant performance. He had recorded five kills on five attempts up to this point in the match.

Penn State went on a 4-0 run, taking a 16-12 lead. Saint Francis was forced to call a timeout as they tried to break out of their scoring slump.

The brief pause was of no help to the Red Flash, as a monster block by Rose and Cosgrove helped Penn State build on their run. Saint Francis was finally able to get back on the scoreboard courtesy of a Brady Stump kill. The Nittany Lions led 19-13 and had their sights set on a victory in the set.

Another block by Charles and Brayden Call on Kuhns gave Saint Francis some life as it aimed to climb back. An ace by Rose dashed some of these hopes as Penn State closed in on 25 points, now leading 22-15. The two teams exchanged service errors, and the Nittany Lions eyed set point. A block by Gabriel sealed it, as Penn State took the second set 25-17.

Penn State started off the third set with a point, with its mind set on a sweep. Gabriel picked up where he left off in the second set, as a block at the net gave Penn State a two-point advantage. Rose and Cosgrove also contributed to a block before a Nittany Lion service error handed a point to the Red Flash.

A big kill down the middle for Michael Schwob gave Penn State another point before Luoma was turned away by a Saint Francis block. The score sat at 9-8 after the Red Flash began to show some signs of life.

After a failed challenge by Pavlik, the red and white evened the score at 10. A kill by Luoma gave Penn State a bit of a cushion, but the margin remained close. A service error by Saint Francis gave Penn State a 16-14 lead, as such errors have proven costly for the Red Flash in the third set.

With the score tied at 16, Gabriel broke the tie with a kill. The two teams exchanged the next four points before an unsuccessful Saint Francis challenge gave the Nittany Lions a 19-18 lead. Two consecutive aces by Luoma gave Penn State an all-but-comfortable four-point lead as they closed in on the win. 

A service error by Saint Francis gave Penn State a match point, but Saint Francis brought the score to 24-23. The Nittany Lions called a timeout as they hoped to end it on the next point. Unfortunately for them, Saint Francis tied the score, and an ace by Nathan Hayes gave the Red Flash a set point of their own. However, upon further review, the ball just missed the baseline. Coach Rumbaugh had some words for the referee, prompting the officials to take yet another look at the all-important point. It stayed with Penn State, as a block by Gabriel and Luoma then secured the sweep. Penn State won the final set of the match, 26-24. 

Takeaways

• Freshman Gaige Gabriel continued to shine. Boasting a 0.778 hitting percentage on nine attempts, the middle blocker put the team on his shoulders both offensively and defensively.
• Penn State was able to keep its attack error count relatively low. They had 10, compared to Saint Francis’ 22.
• The Nittany Lions have swept their last two matches. After an 0-7 start, Penn State is on a winning streak and holds a plus-0.500 record in EIVA play.

What’s Next?

The Nittany Lions return home at 4 p.m. Saturday, February 15, for another match against Saint Francis. It will be the team’s first game in Rec Hall this season and will feature an EIVA Champions banner-raising ceremony.