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Game Notes
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
>> Saint Francis men's volleyball will face #20 Penn State in a home-and-home series Feb. 14-15.
>> Friday's match on the 14th will take place at DeGol Arena at 7:00 p.m. The following day's battle will take place at the Nittany Lions' Rec Hall at 4:00 p.m.
>> The match on Friday will be the Red Flash's first official home match of the 2025 campaign after playing their first nine matches in away venues.
>> Friday's match:
NEC Front Row |
Live Stats; Saturday's match:
B1G+ |
Live Stats
THE WORD ON PENN STATE
The reigning back-to-back Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association champion Penn State are currently 1-7 on the season and 1-1 in EIVA action. The Nittany Lions secured their first win of the season last weekend when they split their season series with Harvard, winning the second match on the 8th in a 3-1 decision.
Will Kuhns leads Penn State's offense with 88 kills and seven aces.He is assisted by setter Michael Schwob, who has registered 208 assists.
The defense is led by Ryan Merk's 45 digs. Owen Rose is the blocks leader with 32 (three solo).
LAST TIME WE MET THE NITTANY LIONS
As former EIVA rivals until the 2023 season, it will be the 59th and 60th all-time matchups between the two schools. The Nittany Lions won both matches of the season series in two tight 3-2 contests during the 2024 campaign.
LAST TIME OUT
Saint Francis returned from their bye after dropping two matches at the Harvard Invitational to Purdue Fort Wayne (0-3) and Lincoln Memorial (2-3). With the Railsplitters moving to No. 17 in the AVCA Coaches Poll, the Red Flash have played eight teams either currently or previously ranked in the top-20 so far this season.
Andrew Deardorff had another dominant weekend during the team's last time in action, racking up 40 kills (five per set), 11 digs, two blocks, and two service aces. The senior outside hitter recorded a career-high 26 kills against Lincoln Memorial, the most by a Saint Francis player since Michael Fisher's 25 versus George Mason on March 26, 2021. It helped him earn his second-straight First Point/NEC Player of the Week and his third prime performer of the season. He leads the squad in kills (102) and aces (15).
Kyle Charles earned his third-straight First Point/NEC Rookie of the Week and second prime performer after registering 87 assists (10.8 per set), four digs, three kills, one ace, and one solo block. The freshman setter dished out a career-high 59 in the five set thriller against the Railsplitters and has tallied 218 in his first seven career starts. He is up to 225 overall on the year.
Richard Kaminski and
Cole Dorn have been splitting time as the starting liberos and have posted 34 and 30 digs, respectively, through the first nine matches. Dorn achieved a career-high 12 in the latest match against Lincoln Memorial.
Sam Lane has compiled a team-high 17 blocks and has been an efficient source of offense by collecting 38 kills on a .407 hitting percentage.
NEXT UP FOR FLASH
Men's Volleyball will play a season series at home versus Dominican University New York Feb. 21-22. The start time on the 21st will be 7:00 p.m. and the match on the 22nd will begin at 6:00 p.m.
