Matadors Knock Off No. 6 Penn State in Four Sets

Friday, March 4

University Park, Pa.

4:30 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

11-7

Penn State

12-3

CSUN

Penn State

Photo by: Jeff Golden

Matadors Knock Off No. 6 Penn State in Four Sets

3/4/2016 6:49:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

NORTHRIDGE, CA - The 12th-ranked CSUN men's volleyball team picked up a big road win Friday night as the Matadors knocked off sixth-ranked Penn State 20-25, 39-37, 25-23, 25-21 at Rec Hall in University Park, PA.

With the win, the Matadors improve to 11-7 and snap the Nittany Lions' 11-match winning streak which was the longest current streak in the nation. CSUN needed a marathon 39-37 win in set two to set its comeback in motion as the Matadors claimed the final three sets.

"It was definitely a gutsy win tonight and winning set two was certainly critical for us," said CSUN head coach Jeff Campbell. "I thought our serving was pretty good, we did a good job of keeping Penn State a little off balance. We're feeling good about this one but we've got to regroup and get ready for another match tomorrow."

Jakub Ciesla and Dimitar Kalchev each had double-doubles for the Matadors as Ciesla put down a match-high 19 kills (.203) to go with 10 digs. Kalchev registered the first of his collegiate career with 16 kills (.250) and 10 digs. The duo also combined for five of CSUN's eight aces as Ciesla matched his career-high with three and Kalchev added to his team-leading total of 39.

Josiah Byers also reached double figures for the fifth time this season as he added 12 kills on .455 hitting. Setter Sam Porter posted a season-high 58 assists in leading the Matadors to a .265 (64-24-151) team hitting clip. Libero CJ Suarez had a team-high 12 digs as CSUN had a season-high 48 team digs.

Both teams hit well in the opening set but the hosts snapped a 14-14 tie by outscoring the Matadors 6-3 over the next nine points to take a 20-17 lead. The lead swelled to as many as five (24-19) on a Chris Nugent kill and five points turned out to be the final margin at 25-20.

In a wild second set that went extra points and then some, the Matadors set themselves up with set point at 24-22 following a Kalchev kill. But Penn State saved a pair of set points getting to 24-24 and the two teams would trade points over the next 26 points. Tied for final time at 37-all, CSUN got a kill from Byers followed by a Nittany Lion hitting error evened the match at one set apiece.

Despite hitting -.057 in the third set, the Matadors had enough to overcome a 21-18 Nittany Lion lead. A pair of Kalchev kills and a pair of Penn State miscues pulled CSUN even at 22-22 and Ciesla's ace put the Matadors in front 23-22. After Kalchev's hitting error pulled Penn State even, Ciesla and Kalchev converted back-to-back Porter sets and the Matadors had the improbable 25-23 win.

In the final set, CSUN used a 6-2 run at 16-14 to open up a 22-16 lead and the Matadors never looked back. After the Nittany Lions closed to within 24-21, Porter found Sakaida who killed a ball off the Penn State block sending CSUN to the 3-1 win.

Nugent had a team-high 18 kills for Penn State (12-3) while hitting .361 on 36 swings.

CSUN plays again Saturday as the Matadors wrap up a four-match road trip against Mount Olive at Rec Hall at 2 p.m. PT.

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