Penn State’s men’s volleyball team defeated Charleston in three straight sets (25-14, 25-21, 25-17) on April 3 at the Wehrle Innovation Center. Owen Rose led the Nittany Lions with 10 blocks, helping the team secure its fourth consecutive win and improve to a record of 15-7 overall and 7-0 in Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association play. The Golden Eagles’ record fell to 13-11 overall and 4-5 in conference matches.
The match was marked by strong defensive performances from Penn State. Rose, who leads the nation in blocks per set, reached double-digit blocks for the second time this season. He previously set a program record with 14 blocks against Harvard earlier this year. Michael Schwob and Sean Harvey contributed six blocks each, while Gaige Gabriel added four blocks and six kills.
Offensively, Matthew Luoma led Penn State with a .304 hitting percentage, tallying eleven kills and four aces—a career high for him. Harvey recorded ten kills, while Bennett Wilson had six kills along with five digs and one ace. Schwob orchestrated the offense with twenty-nine assists and also added two aces.
In the opening set, Luoma’s three aces helped Penn State establish an early lead as they held Charleston to zero hitting percentage. The Nittany Lions built a commanding advantage throughout the match by executing key runs at critical moments.
The teams will meet again Saturday at Charleston for another conference matchup.
