Harvard looked strong early on as freshman middle blocker Alex Kowell came up with a huge block to give Harvard an ephemeral 1-0 lead in the first game.
With Penn State and Harvard tied at 2-2 a short while later, the Nittany Lions went on an imposing 7-0 run, fueled by four kills from Penn State freshman swing hitter Carlos Guerra.
The faces of the Crimson players were tense and troubled as adversity set in. Earlier this season, Harvard was able to regroup after falling behind, but on Saturday the pressure of being in an important playoff match against a formidable opponent was too overwhelming to overcome.
"I think your first time playing in an EIVA quarterfinal match, especially here [in Rec Hall], can be a little intimidating," said Penn State Coach Mark Pavlik.
The Nittany Lions, who have won eight of the last 10 EIVA Championships, were also physically intimidating. The average Penn State starter is 6'6 and extremely athletic.
"I think the physical level of play was the difference in the match," Pavlik said.
Penn State indeed seemed to be on a different athletic level. Its players were able to aggressively hit over Harvard blocks and put up stifling blocks to silence the Crimson's offensive firepower.
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