Spikers intimidating to Div. III Colonials

After Wednesday night's match against Penn State, all Juniata outside hitter Tim Shawaryn could do was shake his head.

"They've just got so many weapons," Shawaryn said. "They are definitely one of the best teams in the nation."

With all opponents seemingly shaking in their shoes, the No. 2 Nittany Lion men's volleyball team will look for their ninth straight win at 7:30 tomorrow night in Rec Hall during their first-ever meeting against Long Island-Southhampton.

Penn State (14-1) assistant coach Dennis Hohenshelt said he will probably be the one who knows the Colonials best. While Hohenshelt was the head coach at Juniata, his teams played Long Island-Southhampton each season.

"Southhampton will make us play," Hohenshelt said. "They'll make us handle the ball which we need a lot of work on."

Long Island-Southhampton, a Division III team, comes to State College with a 10-1 mark. Coach Scott Gleason said his club has not been truly challenged yet this season but expects quite a tussle with the Lions.

"We'll need a good match out of all five of our hitters," Gleason said. "They're going to have to carry their weight."

The Colonials sport one of the best individual players in the nation in senior outside hitter Michael Salak. He leads the team in kills with 227, nearly six per game. He also leads the team in digs and service aces.

Long Island-Southhampton gets added offensive production from sophomore middle blocker Kyle Robinson, who is second on the team in kills and leads the team in blocks. Gleason said Salak and Robinson are definitely his go-to guys but added he doesn't want it to always be that way.

"We're trying to spread it around," he said, "but if you're going to beat us, you've got to go through those two guys."

Since this matchup will be the first-ever meeting between the schools, the Colonials are eager to see what they can do against one of the nation's top programs.

"They're looking forward to it," Gleason said. "You've got to check your pulse to not be able to be up to play the best team in the region. We've got to try not to be nervous out there."

Hohenshelt said if the match works out where the second unit gets some playing time, he wants to see much improvement from the group. He said he has been disappointed with the group's last couple appearances.

"During practice they look terrific," he said. "We've got to figure out what's going through their heads once they step on the court."

If Gleason's players are nervous playing against Penn State's first or second unit, he certainly isn't.

"If we lose to Penn State," Gleason said, "well, so has everyone else."