Penn State men’s volleyball (6-13, 3-2 EIVA) swept Charleston (9-11, 4-3 EIVA) 3-0 in Rec Hall on Friday night. This was the Nittany Lions’ first win since February 28.

Matthew Luoma and Sean Harvey lead the offensive in this one. Luoma led the way with 11 kills and two blocks with a .240 hitting% and Harvey had eight kills, one ace, and hit .538. Gaige Gabriel also led the team in blocks and had seven kills on as many swings for a 1.00 hitting %.

How It Happened

This one got started with a kill from freshman middle Gabriel and Charleston’s Max Nissen. Owen Rose answered with a kill of his own but the Golden Eagles took three of the next four scores to make it a 4-3 lead.

However, the Nittany Lions went on a big 6-1 run with two Charleston errors, three Penn State blocks, and a kill from freshman Harvey. Charleston used its first timeout of the first set but Penn State kept the pressure on by scoring two of the next three points to make it an 11-6 lead.

Schwob + Gabriel = ROOF! pic.twitter.com/mWqtnJTgaa

— Penn State Men's Volleyball (@PennStateMVBALL) March 28, 2025

Both sides split the next four scores until a Luoma service error, a Kai Cousins kill, and a Paul Stommel kill shortened Penn State’s lead to 13-11. Luoma ended the Golden Eagles’ 3-0 run with a kill but Harvey’s service error and Kuhns’ error made it a one-score game.

The Nittany Lions got back on track with another big 5-1 run that consisted of two Luoma kills, a Gabriel and Schwob block, and two Cousins errors. Nissen ended the run with a kill but Charleston was still down 19-15.

Charleston and Penn State traded the next six scores as the Golden Eagles called their final timeout of the set down 22-18. Kills from Joonatan Salpakari, Korben Phillips, and Cousins made it a 3-1 run for Charleston as Penn State used its first timeout up 23-21.

Kuhns got a kill and Salpakari answered but Stommel’s service error gave the Nittany Lions the first set 25-22.

Charleston jumped to a 3-1 lead to start the second set with two kills and an ace by Cousins. Penn State’s only score up to that point was a kill by Gabriel but the Nittany Lions quickly tied the set with a Cousins error and a Harvey kill. The Golden Eagles then claimed four of the next six scores to make it a 7-5 lead.

Penn State continued to play from behind as Luoma got a kill and Charleston answered with a kill and an ace from Salpakari. The Golden Eagles maintained their lead by splitting the next four scores with the Nittany Lions but Penn State then scored three straight off of a solo block and kill from Luoma and an ace from Gabriel.

Gabriel ACE! #WeAre pic.twitter.com/pIumtt2972

— Penn State Men's Volleyball (@PennStateMVBALL) March 28, 2025

Cousins got Charleston back in the scoring column with a kill but his error and Rose’s kill gave the Nittany Lions a 13-12 lead. Charleston used its first timeout of the second set after Salpakari’s kill was followed by Penn State taking three of the next four scores due to a Harvey kill, a Michael Schwob solo block, and an error.

The Golden Eagles got back-to-back kills from Salpakari and Cousins but the Nittany Lions got a kill from Kuhns and an ace from Schwob to make it 18-16. Nissen notched a kill for Charleston but Penn State scored three straight with a Gabriel kill, a Salpakari error, and a Kuhns ace.

A Gabriel kill, a Luoma kill, and a run of errors from both sides ended in the Nittany Lions taking the second set 25-20.

Penn State got an early 4-2 lead with kills from Grabiel, Luoma, and Kuhns and a Charleston error. The two sides shared the next four scores until Charleston got four of the next six scores to tie the set at 8-8. The back-and-forth play continued for the next eight scores until a Luoma error gave the Golden Eagles a 13-12 lead, but it was all Penn State after that.

The Nittany Lions went on another 6-1 run and Charleston was forced to call a timeout. This run featured two Kuhns kills, two Kuhns aces, a Harvey kill, and a Gabriel, Luoma, and Kuhns block. The Golden Eagles got a kill from Nissen and scored off a Rose error but Penn State answered with kills from Luoma, Rose, and Schwob to make it 21-16.

Charleston was able to close the lead some but it wasn’t enough as the Nittany Lions completed the sweep by winning the third set 25-21.

Takeaways

• Penn State continues to climb the EIVA standings with the win. The Nittany Lions now sit in fourth place as they continue to pursue hosting this year’s conference tournament.
• Penn State’s winning streak over Charleston continues. The Nittany Lions are now 20-0 all-time against Charleston and 11-0 in Rec Hall.
• The Nittany Lions got it done at the net tonight. They had 8.5 blocks to Charleston’s one and were led by Gabriel, who had five block assists.

What’s Next?

Penn State will face Charleston again for Senior Day in Rec Hall. The match will start at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 29.