STATE COLLEGE, Penn.--Happy Valley, where Penn State is located, was a dreary and nasty place this past weekend. The weather was disgusting--incessant cold, drizzling rain--and the Nittany Lions volleyball team was oppressive.

No. 9 seed Harvard (13-8, 9-3 EIVA), who defeated No. 8 seed Queens College last Wednesday night to advance in the EIVA playoffs, was stopped short in its postseason progress by No. 1 seed Penn State in the quarterfinals.

The Nittany Lions (18-13, 15-0 EIVA), who came into the match undefeated in league play, dominated the Crimson in all aspects of the game and ended Harvard's season with a three-game sweep, 15-5, 15-6, 15-2.

Although Saturday's match pitted two EIVA Divisional Crown winners (Penn State, Tait, and Harvard, Odeneal), the contest in Recreation Hall was a story of substantially different teams.

Penn State, playing perhaps its best volleyball of the season, scorched Harvard with a .498 hitting percentage on offense and decimated the Crimson at the net with 22 blocks.

Harvard, which was unfortunately caught on an off day, struggled mightily on offense with a .000 hitting percentage--the kills equaled the kill errors--and put up paltry defensive numbers as a team with eight blocks and 11 digs.

Although the score and statistics indicate a blowout, Harvard was able to hang well with the Nittany Lions at certain points of the match.

"We could definitely play with them, and we had them on their heels a lot in the match," said co-captain Ed Pankau. "They just executed slightly better. The score is not indicative of how close the two teams really were."