Match Photos UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., March 8, 2007 ¨C Senior outside hitter Alex Gutor (Kiev, Ukraine) pounded 20 kills as the sixth-ranked Penn State menĄŻs volleyball team defeated EIVA-foe Rutgers-Newark in three games (30-24, 30-19 30-28) Thursday night at Rec Hall. The Nittany Lions improve to 10-2 and 6-0 in conference action while the Scarlet Raiders fall to 2-16 and 0-8 in league play.
In addition to GutorĄŻs offensive output on .455 hitting, sophomore middle hitter Max Holt (Cincinnati, Ohio) recorded nine kills while attacking at a .400 clip as redshirt sophomore Ryan Sweitzer (Lancaster, Pa.) and sophomore Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) each added seven kills, a season-high for Sweitzer. As a team, Penn State hit .343, including .552 in the second game (19-3-29).
Junior setter Luke Murray (East Petersburg, Pa.) directed the offense for two games, collecting 27 assists as redshirt sophomore Travis Foltz (Westlake Village, Calif.) dished out 16 assists.
Senior libero Ryan Walthall (Irvine, Calif.) led Penn State with seven digs as Gutor posted six and senior Aaron Smith (Forest, Va.) notched five.
The Nittany Lions won the blocking battle, 10.0 to 6.5, led by Holt with five, freshman middle hitter Max Lipsitz (Williamsville, N.Y.) with four and Sweitzer with a career-high-tying three. Penn State also provided four service aces, with two from Holt and one each from Lipsitz and Foltz.
Eric Honsberger led Rutgers-Newark with 12 kills as Nate Stott provided eight.
Penn State remains at home, hosting Mercyhurst on Friday, March 9 at 7:00 p.m. at Rec Hall before heading to California over spring break to face No. 4 UC Santa Barbara (Mar. 12), No. 2 UC Irvine (Mar. 14), NAIA-power Cal Baptist (Mar. 16) and No. 12 Long Beach State (Mar. 17).
For more information on the Penn State menĄŻs volleyball team, please visit www.GoPSUsports.com.
