Ball State University Athletics
Friday, February 2
Muncie, Ind.
7 pm
Ball State University
8-6,1-0MIVA
0
vs
3
Penn State University (Dance Marathon Night)
7-2,0-0EIVA
1st set1
2nd set2
3rd set3
FinalF
Penn St.
26
25
25
3
Ball St.
24
22
19
0
Photo by: Claire Witte / Ball State Athletics
Penn State Outlasts Cardinals In Front of 2,513 at Worthen Arena
February 02, 2024 | Men's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. – Ball State scored early and pushed No. 8 Penn State to a virtual deadlock in each of the first two games, but the Nittany Lions hit registered a .433 hitting percentage to outlast any Ball State rallies in a 3-0 win.
Braydon Savitski-Lynde and Tinaishe Ndavazocheva each had nine kills to pace the 15th-ranked Cardinals in front of 2,513 fans at Worthen Arena. John Kerr led Penn State with 13 kills and just two errors, highlighting a dominant offense that delivered Ball State its first shutout of the season. Penn State's hitting percentage was the highest allowed by Ball State this season, offsetting the Lions' 20 service errors.
Before what was the 10th-largest home crowd in Ball State men's volleyball history, the Cardinals forced extra points in the first set. The match capped a Cardinals' string of three straight nationally ranked home opponents that included the program's ninth-largest homecourt audience, 2,526, last Sunday while hosting then-fourth-ranked Hawai'i.
Penn State earned a hard-fought 26-24 outcome in a first set that featured 17 ties. Neither team led by more than three points, with Ball State leading at one point 4-1, and the Nittany Lions later on top 21-18. The set was tied at 21, 22, 23 and 24 before Penn State garnered the last two points.
The Lions continued their momentum in the second set, claiming a 25-22 win after leading by as many as 5, 15-10. Ball State never led in the final set and trailed 17-10 before pulling within 25-19.
Facing its fifth consecutive nationally ranked opponent overall, Ball State (8-6) lost for the fourth time in those five while managing a gauntlet of No. 12 USC, No. 4 Stanford, No. 3 Hawai'I and No. 11 Loyola prior to hosting Penn State. The Nittany Lions (7-2) won their third straight match, following last week's home-and-road sweep of Ohio State.
The Cardinals return to Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association play next week with road matches at McKendree and Lindenwood.
Penn State 26 – 25 – 25
Ball State 24 – 22 – 19
Braydon Savitski-Lynde and Tinaishe Ndavazocheva each had nine kills to pace the 15th-ranked Cardinals in front of 2,513 fans at Worthen Arena. John Kerr led Penn State with 13 kills and just two errors, highlighting a dominant offense that delivered Ball State its first shutout of the season. Penn State's hitting percentage was the highest allowed by Ball State this season, offsetting the Lions' 20 service errors.
Before what was the 10th-largest home crowd in Ball State men's volleyball history, the Cardinals forced extra points in the first set. The match capped a Cardinals' string of three straight nationally ranked home opponents that included the program's ninth-largest homecourt audience, 2,526, last Sunday while hosting then-fourth-ranked Hawai'i.
Penn State earned a hard-fought 26-24 outcome in a first set that featured 17 ties. Neither team led by more than three points, with Ball State leading at one point 4-1, and the Nittany Lions later on top 21-18. The set was tied at 21, 22, 23 and 24 before Penn State garnered the last two points.
The Lions continued their momentum in the second set, claiming a 25-22 win after leading by as many as 5, 15-10. Ball State never led in the final set and trailed 17-10 before pulling within 25-19.
Facing its fifth consecutive nationally ranked opponent overall, Ball State (8-6) lost for the fourth time in those five while managing a gauntlet of No. 12 USC, No. 4 Stanford, No. 3 Hawai'I and No. 11 Loyola prior to hosting Penn State. The Nittany Lions (7-2) won their third straight match, following last week's home-and-road sweep of Ohio State.
The Cardinals return to Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association play next week with road matches at McKendree and Lindenwood.
Penn State 26 – 25 – 25
Ball State 24 – 22 – 19
Team Stats
PSU
BSU
Kills
51
33
Errors
9
11
Attempts
97
84
Hitting %
.433
.262
Points
60.5
38.0
Assists
51
30
Aces
6
2
Blocks
3.5
3
Game Leaders
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
2
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Players Mentioned
OH/OPP
/ Men's VolleyballMB/OPP
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