Despite spiker win streak, team worried about play

By BRIAN EPSTEIN
Collegian Sports Writer

When the men's volleyball team travels to Newark, N.J., for the Golden Dome Volleyball Classic this weekend, it will try to do more than search for its fourth championship -- the Lions will try to put the past several weeks behind them.

Despite winning six straight matches, the No. 5 Lions (7-2) had a team meeting Tuesday to address various concerns, including several players' dissatisfaction with the team's caliber of play.

"When we think of 1994, we associate all season long with the way we played against UCLA in the national championship for the last game and a half -- exceptional volleyball," Coach Mark Pavlik said. "There is a high demand this team is putting on itself and they have to understand they can't play that way every game of every match."

Whether they accomplish this understanding will be put to the test this weekend when they play without outside hitter Ed Josefoski. The senior co-captain was suspended by Pavlik for kicking a chair after Game 4 of the Lions' five-game win over Ball State, and will not travel with the team.

The Lions, who took first place in the tournament in 1987, 1991 and 1993, will play Lewis (8-4) in the opening round at 5 p.m. today. Last weekend, Josefoski paced the Lions with 31 kills and four service aces to defeat Lewis in four games (15-11, 15-9, 15-17, 15-10).

Host Rutgers-Newark (1-4) faces Ball State (8-3) in the other first-round match at 8 p.m. The consolation and championship matches will take place tomorrow at 1 and 4 p.m., respectively.

Rutgers-Newark is currently struggling only a year after nearly advancing to the NCAA championship. It was stopped by Penn State in the finals of the EIVA tournament.

The Raiders return senior opposite Jose Luis Estrada, who leads the nation with 8.3 kills per game, and sophomore setter Estaban Rodiquez, whose 15.6 assists per game rank in the top 10 nationally.

Lion redshirt sophomore David Gealey said the team is not concerned about Josefoski's absence, which will be filled by redshirt sophomore Brent Lapp.

"There might not be one set lineup, but we're comfortable with whoever's playing," Gealey said. "Even if I'm not starting, that's fine with me -- as long as we win. "

Note:

-- Setter Carlos Ortiz leads the nation with 17.6 assists per game and middle blocker Kevin Hourican ranks sixth in blocks per game (1.72). As a team, Penn State ranks sixth in the nation in hitting percentage at .342.

-- Pro-Beach Volleyball Champion Karch Kiraly and his American Volleyball Professional Beach Tour partner, Kent Steffes, will appear between today's matches for an autograph session. Kiraly led the UCLA Bruins to a 29-0 perfect season in 1982, including a national championship victory over the Lions.