X Factor key to Penn State’s matchup with Hawai’i

Box score below

https://gopsusports.com/sports/mens-volleyball/stats/2023/ohio-state/boxscore/16876

By Cindy Luis

FAIRFAX, Va. >> In the A-B-Cs of volleyball, don’t forget the letter “X.”

It’s the X Factor … the unknown, the unexpected … that comes out of nowhere to make the difference.

Who will that be when Penn State takes on second-seeded Hawai’i in Thursday’s second semifinal of the NCAA men’s volleyball championship tournament? For the Nittany Lions (27-3), the potential is there for both redshirt freshman libero Ryan Merk or the imposing 6-foot-7 junior middle Toby Ezeonu to be “that guy” who prevents the two-time defending national champion Warriors from a three-peat.

Not to put any pressure on his libero but when asked who could be that X factor, Penn State coach Mark Pavlik said, “it’s him” when pointing to Merk during Tuesday’s post match press conference following his team’s 25-22, 24-26, 25-13, 26-24 win over Ohio State.

“You look at Ry as a freshman playing libero and you ask, ‘What can he do?” Pavik said of the EIVA Newcomer of the Year. “He’s been doing ‘it’ for us all season. That’s probably the one (X factor), the passing.

“Maybe the same holds true for Hawai’i with passing. If we can make Jakob (senior setter Thelle) not have all his options, we have a chance.”

Penn State’s three losses came against teams in the NCAA Tournament including top-seeded UCLA and Long Beach State, which advanced to meet the Bruins in Thursday’s first semifinal. Beach (20-4) eliminated fellow at-large team Grand Canyon, 22-25, 25-17, 25-22, 25-23, in Tuesday’s first match at EagleBank Arena.

Penn State also lost to visiting Ohio State 3-2 on March 21, a loss that dropped the Nittany Lions from their one-week appearance at No. 1 in the AVCA Coaches Poll. Penn State has won its next eight, including steam-rolling through the EIVA when dropping just two sets.

The Nittany Lions, defeating visiting UCLA 3-1 back on Feb. 4, fell 3-2 to the Bruins in the opener of the Outrigger Invitational in Honolulu on March 9. Penn State responded by defeating the host Warriors 3-1, with Hawai’i then knocking off the Bruins the next night in four.

“It’s going to be a dogfight (with Hawai’i)” said Penn State opposite Cal Fisher, who had 18 kills, was in on seven of the team’s 13 blocks and three aces.

The Buckeyes were poised to force a fifth set when leading 24-23 in Set 4. OSU’s 22nd service error tied it for the 10th and final time, and Fisher’s last ace gave the Nittany Lions match point at 25-24. The match ended after 129 minutes on a Buckeye hitting error.

Freshman opposite Shane Wetzel finished with a match-high 20 kills for Ohio State (23-10) and junior hitter Jacob Pasteur added 16. The Buckeyes outdug the Nittany Lions 41-33, 11 by junior libero Thomas Poole.

As for Ezeonu, he was inserted at the start of Set 3 and made an immediate impact with his presence. He had just two kills and two blocks but “throwing Toby in brought some energy,” Pavlik said.

Ezeonu was listed as questionable for Tuesday’s match after suffering an injury in the EIVA Tournament semifinal against George Mason. He did not play in the championship sweep of Princeton.

In the win over Hawai’i on March 10, Ezeonu put down 10 kills with an ace, two solo blocks and three block assists.