VIDEO: NJIT Highlights at Penn State

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA--Sophomore opposite Julian Meissner registered a match-best 16 kills but it wasn't enough as No. 11 Penn State topped visiting NJIT, 3-1, Saturday afternoon in EIVA Conference men's volleyball action inside South Gymnasium on the campus of Penn State.

Penn State won its fifth straight match of the season, defeating NJIT 25-17, 21-25, 25-17 and 25-21, improving to 6-1 overall, 3-0 in the EIVA.  NJIT, which finished with a .424 team hitting percentage, moves to 2-3 overall, 2-1 in the EIVA.

The Nittany Lions had two players in double-digit kills led by Michal Kowal with a team-best 14 kills followed by Cal Fisher with 13 kills.  Kowal finished the match with a .571 hitting percentage.  Setter Cole Bogner registered a match-best 43 assists.  Fisher led all players with eight digs.

In addition to Meissner's 16 kills, he finished with a .333 hitting percentage and three block assists.  Senior Alvaro Gimeno combined for 15 kills for a .636 hitting percentage while adding three digs and one block.  

Middle Martin de Chavarria registered a .455 hitting percentage, posting seven kills on 11 attempts with just two errors.  Freshman setter Griffin Fieseler piled up 38 assists, five digs and two block assists. 

Penn State got off to a quick start in the first frame, jumping out to an 11-7 lead and later pushed ahead 18-10. The Nittany Lions increased its lead to 24-17 and put the set away with a kill for a 25-17 victory.

In the second set, which saw eight ties and one lead change, Penn State continued its momentum and started off the set with a 6-2 lead.  NJIT battled back and pulled within one of the Nittany Lions, 10-9, and went ahead 16-15 on a kill by Alvaro Gimeno. The Highlanders pushed its lead up to three and secured the 25-21 win to tie the match at 1-1.  NJIT hit .652 for the frame, notching 16 kills with just one error.

Penn State bounced back in the third set, scoring the first five points, resulting in an NJIT timeout.  The Nittany Lions pushed its advantage to 10-6 and extended its lead by as many as seven, 15-8, midway through the set and would cruise to a 25-17 victory to earn the 3-1 victory over the Highlanders. 

The two teams will be back in action on Sunday at 3pm.