Note to Juniata: Spikers' bite is worse than bark


Tuesday, March 24, 1998	Note to Juniata: Spikers' bite is worse than bark By CHRISTY ROLAK Collegian Sports Writer When Juniata came to Penn State back in January, the visiting Tiger fans outroared the Nittany Lions' crowd, but Juniata lost. At 7 p.m. tonight the No. 15 Penn State (12-13) men's volleyball team again confronts Juniata (8-14) and its fans -- this time on the Tigers' home court. The roar of the Tiger should be even stronger in the Kennedy Sports and Recreation Center.
`Penn State Men's Volleyball Home Page`	"We have found that over the years this has been a fun place to play in," said Juniata coach Ryan Patton. "We have pretty good fans who help us out a lot. It is a real nice luxury to play this game at home." Penn State is aware of the Tigers' advantage and the importance of this game. The outcome of this Tait Division matchup with Juniata will determine who will host the EIVA quarterfinals. If the Lions win, the tournament automatically comes to Happy Valley. If they lose, the two teams will be tied for second in the division and the location of the quarterfinals will be undetermined.
Lion swing hitter Tony Mazzullo catapults himself into the air to spike the ball in a Feb. 14 match against the Rutgers-Newark Scarlet Raiders. Mazzullo, recently tagged as the "go-to" guy for Penn State, will be relied on again as the team faces Juniata tonight on the road. (Collegian Photo/Andrew A. Roach - click for full size image)	The overall record of the Penn State-Juniata matchup gives the Lions extra confidence going into this match. In the nine times the two teams have faced off, Juniata has yet to win. Penn State's recent success and boosted self-confidence also helps to relieve the team's worries. "I think our confidence is definitely at the highest level it has been the entire season," said Penn State swing hitter Eric Houston. "We figured out how to win. We are working together. We figured out who our go-to guy is." Penn State's key to its recent success is Houston's go-to guy, Tony Mazzullo. The swing hitter appears on two lists of Div. I and II statistical leaders. Ranked 18th with a 5.29 kill average and 10th with 2.43 dig average, Mazzullo is depended on by the Lions to be at peak performance. "He is our best passer," said Lion coach Mark Pavlik. "We want him to pass as many balls as he can possibly touch. If you take Tony Mazzullo out of our offense we are really in trouble. He really is our most stabilizing force on the court." Mazzullo and the rest of the Lions will have to face a powerful trio on Juniata's court. Opposite Tim Shawaryn, outside hitter Rod Kirby and middle Andy Kurl have worked well together throughout the entire season. In Juniata's March 18th match against Eastern Mennonite, the threesome registered a total of 55 kills. While the Lions hope to stifle this trio, they are also concerned about the impact this matchup will have on the rest of the week. The outcome of this match could mentally influence the Lions, who face a weekend of tough competition. Their heavy schedule begins with Juniata but ends with fierce opponents Princeton and Rutgers-Newark. "(A win) is very important to us because of this weekend," Houston said. "It is vital for us right now to maintain our streak. We need to win this game."