No. 15 Penn State Men’s Volleyball Falls To No. 6 UC Irvine 3-2 In Heartbreaking Five-Set Finish
No. 15 Penn State men’s volleyball (22-8, 12-0 EIVA) fell to No. 6 UC Irvine (19-8, 5-5 Big West) 3-2 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night.
The first set was slow for Penn State, but the team picked up in the second and third sets. Penn State lost touch in a neck-and-neck fifth set and lost the game in Mark Pavlik’s final game.
How It Happened
The first two out of three points went to UC Irvine. The Anteaters got their points off a kill and a service error from Penn State, but they also committed a service error to give Penn State its first point.
Matthew Luomo and Owen Rose had a kill to put Penn State at three points, but UC Irvine remained ahead after two strong kills and led 5-3. Rose had another kill to make it a one-point game, but then committed a service error.
Gaige Gabriel had a kill to make it a one-point game again, but then UC Irvine had a kill and an ace to go up three. Penn State then had an attack error, and UC Irvine had a kill to go up five points. Penn State called a timeout down 10-5.
Penn State won two out of the next three points after the timeout. Gabriel and Rose had a kill to put Penn State back into the game. The team had a few attack errors, which gave UC Irvine the extra edge. The game went back and forth for 10 straight points. UC Irvine led 15-10.
Penn State then won three out of the next four points. Gabriel had two kills. Luomo had one. The Anteaters bounced back and won three out of the next four points after three strong kills to take a 19-14 lead.
UC Irvine started to take control and won four of the next five points. Penn State put up a fight after a kill from Bennett Wilson and an ace from Rose, but a service error ended the set for Penn State. The Nittany Lions went down 1-0 in the match.
Penn State won three out of the first five points to start the second set. Sean Harvey and Luomo had a kill along with an ace from Wilson. The Nittany Lions then won three out of the next four points. Harvey and Luomo both had another kill, and UC Irvine also committed a service error. The Anteaters called a timeout early in the set after Penn State went up 6-3.
The next four points were split between the two teams. Luoma had another kill, and shortly after, Harvey had a kill to put Penn State up four. The Nittany Lions won two of the next three after a block and a service error. The Anteaters eventually went on a four-point run, making it a two-point difference. Penn State called a timeout up 12-10.
UC Irvine tied the game and eventually went up one point after a series of errors for Penn State. The Nittany Lions got two points after an attack and a service error committed by UC Irvine, but the Anteaters had four kills to jump ahead. Penn State called another timeout down 19-16.
Penn State won three of the next four points after two kills from Wilson and one from Tristan Hassell. The Anteaters jumped ahead with two kills and made it set point with a third. Penn State only trailed by one, but Hassell tied it 24-24 to keep Penn State alive.
UC Irvine had two chances to win the set, but Harvey stopped the team with two kills. Hassell had a block to make it a set point, but the Anteaters responded once again. Hassell had another kill to make it set point, and Rose notched an ace to win the second set in a thriller.
UC Irvine won the first three out of five points. Harvey had a kill to put Penn State on the board. The Nittany Lions went up 4-3 after a few errors committed by the Anteaters. The next four points were split; Harvey and Hassell had a kill to keep the team ahead.
The game was tied 8-8 before Penn State fell behind by two points. Penn State tied the game again after an ace and kill from Wilson, and then took the lead after another ace. The team went up 14-13 after Hassell had another kill. Rose followed with two kills to put Penn State up three.
Penn State won two of the next three points, but was still ahead by two. The team went up 20-17 after a service error by UC Irvine and a kill from Hassell. Wilson then had an ace, followed by a kill from Harvey.
The Anteaters had a service error to make it a set match, and Hassell put it to bed with a kill. Penn State went up 2-1 over UC Irvine.
Penn State won the first two of three points. UC Irvine had a service error and Hassell had a kill to start the fourth set. The Anteaters then won five straight points and went up 6-2, taking an early lead. The team started to come back after a kill from Harvey and Rose, but UC Irvine still stayed strong. The Nittany Lions had multiple errors and went down 10-5.
UC Irvine committed a service error before Penn State notched a block to make it a three-point game. Gabriel also had a kill to keep up with the Anteaters, but the Nittany Lions fell behind. Penn State called a timeout down 17-11. Harvey and Gabriel both had a kill, making it a six-point game. UC Irvine took control and went up 23-15.
Harvey had two kills, which gave Penn State a boost, but it wasn’t enough. UC Irvine won set four, and the Nittany Lions went into another five-set match.
Penn State won two of the first three points. Hassell had a kill and an ace to start the fifth set. The team then won two straight points after a service error from UC Irvine and another kill from Hassell. The next four points were split between the two squads. Harvey had a kill and the team had a block to go up 6-3.
UC Irvine tied the game after three straight points. Penn State went back up two after UC Irvine had a service error and the team had a block.
The Anteaters tied the game, but then Hassell had a kill to put the team up one again. UC Irvine then scored two straight points to take the lead, but had a service error right after. The game was tied 10-10.
The teams exchanged points, tying the game at 11. A service error gave UC Irvine the lead, but an attack error tied the game once again. The game went to 13-13 after a kill from both teams. The Anteaters had a kill to make it a match point. UC Irvine finished the game with a kill, ending Penn State’s season.
Takeaways
- Sean Harvey had 18 kills, once again leading the team. The EIVA Player of the Year showed his dominance against a competitive opponent.
- The team had 27 attack errors, which were a huge factor in why UC Irvine kept up with the Nittany Lions.
- Penn State saved all four of UC Irvine’s set matches in the second set. It fought hard to stay in it, and Harvey was a key factor in keeping the team alive with strong kills.
- Tristan Hassell came off the bench and finished second in kills with 14. He provided a huge spark for the team after losing the first set.
- Penn State was 6-0 in five-setters this season, but lost its first of the season in the most crucial moment.
What’s Next?
Penn State’s season has come to an end.
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