Score: Elmira College 3, Penn State Behrend 2
Records: Elmira (4-3), Penn State Behrend (3-1)
Location: Kidera Gymnasium – Rochester, N.Y.
 
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The Elmira College men's volleyball team extended its winning streak to three consecutive matches, as the Soaring Eagles handed the Lions of Penn State Behrend a five-set loss [25-27, 25-20, 28-26, 23-25, 15-11] in the opening-round game of the Golden Flyer Invitational.
 
Both teams hit fairly well from the floor, as Elmira floored 71 kills on 155 attempts with 36 errors (22.6%) and Penn State Behrend went for 48 kills on 118 attempts with 22 errors (22.0%). EC connected at a 45.2-percent clip in the second set (17k-3e-31ta) and 50.0-percent in the fifth frame (12k-3e-18ta).
 
Jose Malave '21, Ryan McDonough '19 and Garrett Coleman '20 logged double-digit kills in tonight's victory. Malave paced the trio with 26 kills, five service aces, four digs and a pair of block assists. McDonough was close behind with 15 kills, seven digs, three service aces, one solo block and a block assist. Colemen produced 10 kills on 21 attempts to go along with four block assists and three digs.
 
Matt Straney '20 was also key in Elmira's offensive efforts this evening. The third-year talent was super-efficient from the floor, going 9k-1e-16ta for an attack percentage of 50.0-percent.
 
Orchestrating the Elmira attack was Jeremy Best '19, who recorded a season-high 58 assists. He also added five total blocks, one solo and four block assists, as well as four digs.
 
Defensively, Landon Miller '20 carried the load for the Soaring Eagles at the net by finishing with a career-high 10 blocks. He amassed nine block assists, also a career best, to go along with one solo block.
 
Ryan Branigan '19 paced the Purple and Gold with a match-high 10 digs.
 
In His Own Words…
Head Coach Daniel Miranda shares his thoughts on Friday night's win…
"It was a hard-fought win against a strong Penn State Behrend team. We worked through some offensive struggles with disciplined blocking at the right moments from Jeremy, Garrett and Landon. Straney had a career-making match offensively to help us win. We received outstanding defensive performances from our specialists Branigan, Colin [Morrison] and Alex [Adelman]. Joe [Hewes] helped provide crucial serves to finish us out."
 
News and Notes

• Elmira's winning streak sits at three matches.
• EC improved to 3-1 in five-set matches.
• Miller recorded career highs in blocks (10) and block assists (9).
• Malave produced 20-plus kills in back-to-back matches.
• Best registered a season-high 58 assists.
• Branigan has logged double-digit digs in three straight matches.

 
Up Next
Elmira concludes action at the Golden Flyer Invitational tomorrow with a pair of non-league matches against Juniata at 11:00 a.m. and Hiram at 5:00 p.m