Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
6-6,0-1EIVA
Penn State
9-3,1-0EIVA
No. 15 Men's Volleyball Drops First Match to No. 9 Penn State, 3-1
February 16, 2024 | Men's Volleyball
PRINCETON, NJ - The No. 15 Princeton men's volleyball team put together an impressive performance Friday night against conference rival No. 9 Penn State. Despite their efforts, the Tigers fell 3-1 (25-20, 25-27, 22-25, 23-25). The Tigers will have another shot at the Nittany Lions on Saturday at 5:00 P.M. back in Dillon Gym.
Nyherowo Omene emerged as the top scorer with 20 kills, while Ryan Vena played well on defense with the highest number of blocks, tallying 3. Additionally, Henry Wedbush showcased remarkable defensive prowess, leading in digs with 5, and also displayed excellent playmaking skills by contributing 37 assists.
In the first set, the Tigers managed a 5-point scoring run to establish a 16-10 lead. They continued their dominance, leading 19-13 and then 22-16. Ultimately, the Tigers claimed the first set with a score of 25-20.
The second set saw a reversal of fortunes as the Nittany Lions surged ahead, taking a commanding 9-5 lead early on. Penn State maintained their momentum, leading 11-6, while the Tigers struggled to catch up. Despite a solid attempt at a comeback, the Tigers found themselves trailing 17-12 before mounting a late surge, pulling within one point at 21-20. They even tied it up at 24, but the Nittany Lions managed to edge past them, winning the set 27-25.
Moving into the third set, the Nittany Lions once again took an early lead, going up 3-0. Although the Tigers fought back, closing the gap to 6-4, the third set evolved into a tight contest with neither team gaining a significant advantage. Despite the Tigers' efforts, the Nittany Lions extended their lead to 18-14. Despite a valiant effort from the Tigers, they couldn't overcome the deficit and ultimately fell short, losing the third set 25-22.
The score was tied at 8 until the Lions surged ahead with a 3-0 scoring run, establishing an 11-8 lead. Subsequently, the next 16 points were fiercely contested, with both teams exchanging scores, resulting in a 19-16 scoreline. Neither side managed more than a one-point scoring streak until the Nittany Lions capitalized on two consecutive errors from Princeton – first, a service error, then an attacking error. However, the Tigers swiftly responded with a kill from Nyherowo Omene followed by an ace from Omene's service, closing the gap to 20-18 in favor of Penn State. Despite the Nittany Lions extending their lead to 22-18, the Tigers remained resilient. With the score at 24-23 in favor of Penn State, the Nittany Lions clinched the crucial set point, ultimately sealing the match.
Up Next
The Princeton men's volleyball team will host Penn State again at Dillon Gym on Feb. 17th (Sat.) at 5:00 P.M.
