STATE COLLEGE, Pa., Jan. 16, 2002 -- The first-ranked Penn State men's volleyball team (1-0) heads west to Honolulu this weekend for three crucial matches against ranked foes. The Nittany Lions will participate in the Outrigger Invitational, hosted by the University of Hawaii, Jan. 17-19 where they will face second-ranked UCLA, fifth-ranked Hawaii and 11th-ranked Lewis.
The Nittany Lions take on host Hawaii, ranked fifth in the USA Today/AVCA coaches poll, on Thursday, Jan. 17 beginning at 11:59 p.m ET. The match will be webcast live from a link on the official website of Penn State athletics, www.GoPSUsports.com. Hawaii leads the series with Penn State, 7-1. The last regular-season meeting was a four-game Warrior win on Jan. 18, 2001. Hawaii and Penn State met on Nov. 1 and 2, 2001 in State College, Pa. for two preseason exhibition matches. The Warriors took the first match in a thrilling five-game victory while the Nittany Lions came back the next night and swept Hawaii in three games. The last regular-season Penn State victory was a five-game win on May 5, 1995 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Warriors (1-1) return 11 letterwinners from last year's 19-7 squad, including the 2001 AVCA Player of the Year in outside hitter Costas Theocharidis. The 6-2 junior led Hawaii in kills (454) and kills per game (5.04) while posting a .340 hitting percentage. Also returning is AVCA All-American Dejan Miladinovic, a 6-7 middle hitter who last season led the Warriors in blocks per game (1.97), MPSF Co-Freshman of the Year, 6-2 setter Kimo Tuyay, and 6-2 All-MPSF outside hitter Eyal Zimet. The Warriors are averaging 16.71 kpg, 10.43 dpg and 3.64 bpg in their two contests so far this season. In the opening match of the season, the Warriors fell Loyola-Chicago in four games, 28-30, 27-30, 30-25, 26-30 for their first season-opening loss since 1990. Hawaii rebounded the next night, sweeping the Ramblers in three games.
Friday, Jan. 18, Penn State meets up with second-ranked UCLA starting at 9:30 p.m. ET. The Bruins lead the series with Penn State, 19-5-1. The last meeting between the two teams was a five-game UCLA victory on Jan. 18, 2001. The last Nittany Lion victory over the Bruins was a four-game victory on Jan. 23, 1997.
UCLA returns seven letterwinners, including four starters, from last season's 24-8 NCAA Championship-qualifying team. Junior middle hitter Scott Morrow leads the team in blocking, averaging 1.44 bpg, while 6-8 junior outside hitter Cameron Mount tops the Bruin attack with 4.11 kpg .. Running the UCLA offense is junior Rich Nelson, who this season is averaging 13.50 assists per game through three games. The Bruins opened the season with a three-game sweep at UC-Irvine and a four-game win over USC, but lost in three to fourth-ranked Pepperdine on Jan. 12.
Concluding the tournament, the Lions face 11th-ranked Lewis beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET. Penn State leads the series with Lewis, 6-5. The last meeting was a three-game Nittany Lion loss on April 6, 2001. The last Penn State victory was a four-game Lion victory on March 28, 1997.
Lewis has yet to play a match in the 2002 season, but returns five starters from last season's MIVA Championship team. The Flyers are led by 6-6 sophomore opposite Fabiano Barreto who averaged 5.04 kpg last season and 6-6 sophomore middle hitter James Elsea who led the team in blocking (1.16 bpg).
By comparison, Penn State is averaging 16.50 kpg, 10.25 dpg and 1.75 bpg from their season-opening win against Ohio State on Jan. 11. Senior setter Jos¨¦ Qui?ones (Bayamon, Puerto Rico) dished out 57 assists in the victory, upping his career-assist-leading numbers to 5,202. Junior middle hitter Zach Slenker (Dallastown, Pa.) set a new Penn State rally-scoring era single-game record in the four-game win over Ohio State on Jan. 11. The middle hitter notched 17 kills on 22 attempts with only one error for a hitting percentage of ..727. That mark eclipses the previous single-game hitting percentage record during the rally scoring era, set last season by Carlos Guerra (.667/ 23-1-33).
Visit www.GoPSUsports.com for updated game notes, statistics and 2002 NCAA National Championship Information.
** Game times have been set for the 2002 Men's Volleyball National Championship to be held at Rec Hall on the campus of Penn State University, May 2-4. Two semifinal matches will be played on Thursday, May 2 at 6:00 p.m ET and 8:00 p.m. ET with the National Championship game on Saturday, May 4 beginning at 7:00 p.m ET. For ticket information and applications, please visit www.GoPSUsports.com or call 814-863-1000 or 1/800-833-5533.
--LIONS--
