HONOLULU, HI - - The Ball State men’s volleyball team ended play in the 2008 Outrigger Hotels Invitational with a 3-0 (30-20, 30-17, 30-19) loss to No. 4 Penn State Saturday evening at the Stan Sheriff Center on the University of Hawai`i campus.

   With the loss, the Cardinals drop to 0-3 on the season, while the Nittany Lions capture the 2008 Outrigger Hotels Invitational title and improve to 3-0.

   BSU was unable to slow down a hot PSU offense, which clicked for a .542 (45-6-72) rate of success while committing just six errors. The Cardinals finished the match hitting .157 (40-26-89).

   Both offenses came out firing in the opening set, as nine straight kills lead to a 6-3 Penn State advantage. A PSU ace on the next play forced the Cardinals to call their first time out of the contest, and the Nittany Lions went on to take a 10-3 advantage moments later.

   Ball State would fall behind by as many as eight points, before drawing within five at 25-20 on a kill and ace from freshman Marcus Imwalle (Maria Stein, Ohio/Marion Local H.S.). Unfortunately, Penn State rallied off the next five points, winning game one 30-20 on a solo block from Jay Stauffer.

   Penn State opened the second game with a 5-1 run and never let up, winning the set 30-17. After falling behind by 11 points, the Cardinals were able to cut the Nittany Lion’s advantage to seven at the 22-15 mark.

   Imwalle, junior Matt McCarthy (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton Warrenville South H.S.) and junior Justin Orr (Gladstone, Mo./Winnetonka H.S.) each recorded kills during the BSU run, while freshman Ted Garard (Northfield, Ill./New Trier H.S.) recorded his first career service ace.

   However, PSU was able to capitalize on three-straight BSU back row attacking errors to regain the momentum as they went on to win the game.

   The Nittany Lions opened the third game with two-straight points, before kills from Garard and sophomore setter Ethan Pheister (Shorewood, Wis./Shorewood H.S.) tied the game at 2-2.

   BSU remained within three points at the 12-9 mark, only to see an 11-4 Penn State run put the Cardinals behind by 10. PSU went on to win the game 30-19.

   Imwalle and McCarthy each collected eight kills for the Cardinals, while freshman Lee Meyer (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller H.S.) added seven.

   Pheister, who recorded a team-best 33 assists, also led the Cardinals with five digs.

   Penn State’s Matt Anderson led all players with 17 kills, while Ryan Sweitzer added 11. PSU’s Dennis Del Valle posted a match-best 10 digs.

   In addition to out-hitting the Cardinals, the Nittany Lions held an 11-to-8 lead in blocks, a 18-to-17 edge in digs and a 7-to-4 advantage in aces.

   The Ball State men’s volleyball team returns to action Friday, Jan. 11, when it opens MIVA action with a 7 p.m. match at Quincy.