Spikers sputtering at midseason mark

It's been an atypical year for an average volleyball team.

Halfway through its regular season schedule, the Penn State men's volleyball team has battled the effects of an abnormal season in an attempt to boost its mediocre record.

The inclusion of tougher competition in the team's schedule has brought the Nittany Lions' record to 5-8. Fighting losing battles against Long Beach State, Indiana-Purdue at Fort Wayne (IPFW) and Ohio State exposed the Lions' biggest weakness.

"When we don't block well against good teams," said Penn State coach Mark Pavlik, "we dig ourselves into a hole. When we play well, we block well. We need better balance across the net with blocking and point scoring."

Lacking the power and experience of injured middle blocker Sergio Pampena, Penn State has committed 62 blocking errors thus far compared to its opponents' 35.

"(Blocking) has gotten better over the course of the year," said swing hitter Steve Aird. "But we should definitely be getting more blocks than we are."

While the Lions' defense could improve, their offense has been sparked by middle blocker Dan Hoechst. His efforts have placed him in the top 10 hitting percentages of Div. I and II players. Hoechst's 104 kills and .451 percentage have filled the offensive gap left by the numerous injuries.

With a new and inexperienced starting six, Penn State has also been relying on veteran setter Dan Pollock for support. Pollock currently ranks third in assists for Div. I and II players with 714 and an average of 17.85 per game.

"I personally look up to Dan as a guy who gets things done," said Aird. "I know if I get him a pass, he will definitely do something good with the ball."

Despite Hoechst's and Pollock's efforts, the inexperience of the starting six still shows. The Lions have committed 277 total errors, a high and costly number. One major aspect of these mistakes is the Lions commit them in crucial situations.

"We had chances to score where we hit a ball out of bounds or miscommunicate," Pavlik said. "Little things are plaguing us right now. When we miss the little things, we lose a point or an opportunity to score when we need to."

While the first half of the season has been an abnormal roller coaster ride of events for Penn State, the future does not look easier. Approaching the second half, a different obstacle appears. The Lions have 14 upcoming away matches, including 10 straight.

Regardless of the obvious disadvantages of this schedule, the Lions choose to focus positively on the future.

"It really just comes down to mental preparation when you play on the road," Aird said. "We just have to take it one match at a time."