Men’s Volleyball Splits Weekend Series with Penn State

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard men’s volleyball closed out the opening weekend of EIVA action with a hard fought 3-0 defeat against Penn State, as the Crimson split the weekend series with the Nittany Lions.

Sawyer Nichols led the way for the Crimson, as the Anacortes, Washington native finished the night with a team-high 12 kills, just one away from matching his career-high set against Lincoln Memorial last month.

How it Happened

Harvard (3-5, 1-1 EIVA) controlled action from open play in the opening set against the visitors, as Harvard tallied 14 kills in the first set, compared to 12 from Penn State (1-7, 1-1). Despite the maintained rhythm from the Crimson, Penn State opened a 19-14 lead in the first set. At 24-19, the Crimson reduced the Nittany Lion lead, as Owen Woolbert and Zach Berty recorded back-to-back kills. 24-21. With Harvard serving, Penn State earned the point to secure the first set, 25-21.

The second set saw Harvard jump out to an early 12-5 advantage. Six different Crimson recorded kills in the scoring run, as Nichols, Quinn Bishop and Owen Woolbert all picked up aces in the second frame at the Malkin Athletic Center. After a kill from Nichols pushed the Harvard lead to 23-20, Penn State tallied four straight points to regain the advantage, as the Nittany Lions rallied to win the set, 26-24.

The Crimson ended the second set with 12 kills and a game-low five errors on 30 attacking attempts.

In the third and final set of the contest, the visitors jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the initial portions of the frame, but the Crimson battle back, reducing the advantage to 10-9 after a series of attacking errors from Penn State. After a series of thrilling back-and-forth rallies, Penn State would take hold and hang on for the win.

Nichols led all Crimson in kills with 12 against Penn State, as James Bardin tallied a game-high 36 assists. Nichols ranks second on the team in kills this season with 51, as Bardin increased his assist tally to 224 in seven appearances this season.

Harvard Highlights

• Harvard ended the match with 39 kills, compared to 36 kills from Penn State.
• A native of Anacortes, Washington, Nichols led the Crimson in kills with 12, recording double-digit kills in a game for the third time this season.
• Bardin led all student-athletes with 36 assists.
• An All-EIVA Academic Team selection last season, Bardin leads the team in assists with 224 this season.

Up Next

The Crimson hit the road next weekend, traveling south for a two-game EIVA series against University of Charleston on Friday, Feb. 14 and Saturday, Feb. 15.