ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – The 10th ranked Lewis men's volleyball team swept past Penn State on Friday evening at Neil Carey Arena. The Flyers improved to 7-3 while the Nittany Lions fell to 4-3.
Lewis led by as many as eight points in the opening set but Penn State rallied to get within 21-19 on a service ace from Jason Donorovich.
Ryan Coenen (Franklin, WI/Franklin) had a pair of kills to extend the lead to 23-20 but Matthew McLaren brought the Nittany Lions back to within two with a kill. A service error by McLaren gave the Flyers three set points to work with.
The Nittany Lions fought off the first set point on a kill by Henrik Falck Lauten but a service error by Sam Marsh gave Lewis the opening set 25-22.
The Flyers built a six-point advantage early in set two but Penn State fought back to tie and eventually took a 21-18 lead. Falck Lauten and McLaren each had two kills in that run. Trailing 22-19, Lewis ran off five straight points to grab a 24-22 lead on an ace from Coenen. Down two set points the Nittany Lions fought off the first with a kill from Cal Fisher but the Flyers were able to close it out on a kill from
Julian Moses (Atlanta, GA/Atlanta International School) to win 25-23.
The third set belonged to Lewis as it hit .750 (10 kills-1 error-12 total attacks) and used an 11-3 run midway through the frame to extend its lead from two to 10 points. Penn State got as close as eight but the Flyers closed it out scoring six of the last seven points to win 25-12.
Coenen and Moses led Lewis with 10 kills apiece while
Tyler Mitchem (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook HS) added six.
Matt Yoshimoto (Ventura, CA/Adolfo Camarillo) distributed 29 assists and
Michael Simmons (Aurora, IL/Waubonsie Valley) had a match-high eight digs. The Flyers hit .415 (34-7-65) for the match.
Falck Lauten led the Nittany Lions with a match-high 11 kills and McLaren finished with 10 kills. Cole Bogner handed out 26 assists and Fisher finished with five digs. Penn State was held to a .189 (36-18-95) attack percentage.
Lewis hosts UCLA on Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Neil Carey Arena. Saturday's match will be Red Out Night at Neil Carey Arena.
