And then there was one

Facing final home game, Gealey recalls glory days

Rarely can one evening sum up all the emotions in a player's career. But for Dave Gealey, swing hitter for the Penn State men's volleyball team, his career highs and lows will be tallied up tonight.

Gealey and the other Nittany Lions will suit up for their last regular season home game when they take on East Stroudsburg at 7:30 tonight at Rec Hall. It is senior night and all eyes will be turned towards Gealey as he is the lone honoree.

Gealey is the only member of that 1994 team to be with the Lions today and Penn State coach Mark Pavlik knows that he is a valuable asset in getting the team back into the championship circle.

Gealey also knows he plays a key role in the team's success. He, along with all the other players, wants to get this team back to where he was four years ago.

"Watching the team win the national championship was the greatest thing ever," Gealey said. "The other guys don't know what it feels to be in that position so I push every day to get there again."

With the Lions' 6-12 record, Gealey is realistic when viewing the team's chances for a national title this season, but he is hopeful the team will make it to the Final Four.

Although winning and making it to the Final Four would be a great personal achievement, Gealey also plays his games for his teammates.

"It's a great feeling to play with a team and play for the guys next to you," Gealey said. "For me, this Penn State team is like a family because it's not just a bunch of individuals, it's a group playing together for each other."

"It's one of my last games at Rec Hall and I'm really going to miss it because it's like my home," Gealey said. "But it doesn't seem different now because we have so much more of the season to play."

The rest of the season starts tonight with the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) conference match against East Stroudsburg.

The Warriors (9-3) have just come off three devastating losses to top EIVA teams, but Pavlik said that is what makes them so dangerous.

"I think we're going to face a team that feels like they have to win," Pavlik said. "They're fighting to stay alive in the EIVA so we're going to face a desperate team."

But the Lions are also in need of a win. Coming off Saturday's loss to Ohio State, the Lions need a boost before tackling the rest of their schedule.

A win against the Warriors would be a huge confidence-builder and a push onto the road to recovery -- a road that is a bit unfamiliar to Gealey who played for the powerhouse Penn State teams of the past.

Although he hasn't been in the comeback position before, he is optimistic that the team will get back on track.

"This season has been a little disappointing as far as our record goes but if we can get some consistency we're going to get better," Gealey said. "I've had a great experience here and hopefully the best is yet to come."