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Late-game deficits were not an issue for No. 3/4 Long Beach State in one of its biggest non-conference matches of the season.
Long Beach State overcame 21-18 deficits to win both the second and third game and then rallied late in the final game as it defeated No. 4/3 Penn State 18-25, 25-23, 26-24, 27-25 on Wednesday in University Park, Pennsylvania.
The Beach (5-0, 0-0 Big West) led by as many as six points midway through the fourth game but had to fight off a game-point to force overtime. Outside attacker Spencer Oliviver had three kills in the four-point overtime session, including back-to-back kills to secure the victory.
Oliver finished with 14 kills on a .379 attack percentage to help Long Beach State remain undefeated and earn its first win against a top-10 nationally ranked team this season.
Opposite Clarke Godbold led all players with a season-high 17 kills with a game-high six kills coming in the fourth game. Middle attacker Simon Torwie had seven kills on a team-best .600 attack percentage against the Nittany Lions (6-1, 0-0 EIVA).
Torwie also contributed a match-high eight blocks – the third straight match the middle attacker had more than five blocks.
Despite suffering its first loss of the season, Penn State out-hit Long Beach State .295 to .259. The Nittany Lions committed one error and had a match-best .565 attack percentage in the first game and hit .300 in the decisive fifth-game loss.
Opposite John Kerr led Penn State with 17 kills on a .382 attack percentage, while outside attacker Michal Kowal added 12 kills and an ace.