For my final passion blog of the semester, I will be talking about the current state of the spread of the coronavirus and possible outlooks for the future. Globally, there have now been over one and a half million cases recorded. This is followed by about eighty eight thousand deaths worldwide. Currently, the United States has by far the most cases out of any country on the planet, nearly tripling the number of the next highest country, Spain. After Spain is Italy, France, Germany, and China. However, the United States is only third on the list of deaths, preceded by Italy and Spain.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnbc.com%2F2020%2F04%2F02%2Fcoronavirus-live-updates.html&psig=AOvVaw1zwAukYo-XGHFQMDs3AF3P&ust=1586471029982000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAQQjB1qFwoTCICWoqPv2egCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

In the US, the hardest hit state by far has been New York. On Monday, New York state set a one-day record of 731 deaths from COVID-19. However, at the same time, New York’s overwhelmed hospital emergency rooms have started to see a drop in new coronavirus patients, with the three-day average falling from a peak of 1,294 late last week to 529. Admissions to intensive care units decreased more dramatically, from a three-day average of 395 last week to 89 on Monday.

Some experts believe that this statistic shows that the efforts that are being made to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus are working. Social distancing and staying at home likely played a major part in this decrease in New York COVID-19 cases.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usnews.com%2Fnews%2Ftop-news%2Farticles%2F2020-04-07%2Fnew-york-state-overtakes-italy-has-coronavirus-cases-second-only-to-spain-reuters-tally&psig=AOvVaw2o-42HFLDsTR5yAaacjnaL&ust=1586471072987000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAQQjB1qFwoTCOjylLrv2egCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

One important concept this brings up is that of a peak. The peak of coronavirus in any area, whether a city, state, or country, signifies when the spread of the virus is at its worst. Many people search for this in order to know when the current situation will begin to get better, and things will be able to start slowly going back to the way they were. So far, for most locations across the globe, the situation has only been getting worse and worse. Yet, this possibility of a peak in New York in the near future provides a ray of hope. This is now encouraging many other states to look ahead and try to determine when their “peak” will be.

Peaks for the different states depend on several factors, including population, population density, social distancing restrictions, and many others. Data from npr.org estimates the date of this peak for each of the fifty states. These dates range from March 31st to April 30th. The locations that have already peaked are Delaware, D.C., Vermont, Washington, Colorado, and Louisiana. New York is estimated to peak tomorrow, April 9th. Some of the last states to peak will be South Dakota, Rhode Island, and Wyoming.

 

Personally, all of these dates surprised me, as it seemed like there was no end in sight to this pandemic. If I would have guessed before doing research, I would have estimated these peaks to be occurring in May at the absolute earliest, with some possibly going into the summer. While this data is promising, it is certainly no reason to take any fewer precautions. More than ever, it is very highly recommended to avoid any social situations and to follow all government provided recommendations in order to get rid of this virus even sooner. These upcoming peaks show the progress we have made by working as one. Every person can do their part to help minimize the damage of this natural disaster.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fstory%2Fnews%2Fnation%2F2020%2F03%2F31%2Fus-coronavirus-deaths-could-peak-mid-april-restrictions-states%2F5100513002%2F&psig=AOvVaw0_H3AHG4a5NcaqEIaYd75E&ust=1586471120867000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAMQjB1qFwoTCLCpvM7v2egCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAi

One very serious problem that is facing hospitals and health care workers amidst this pandemic is the shortage of materials such as masks, gowns, and ventilators. Ventilators are an absolute necessity in order to keep some of those infected with the virus alive. If the virus continues to spread, the current supply of ventilators will be no where near enough to meet the demand for them. This would result in a large loss of life that could have been prevented simply if there were more ventilators produced. The same goes for masks, gowns, and other types of PPE, or personal protective equipment. These objects are vital in ensuring that people with the virus spread it as little as possible. This is especially important to doctors and nurses who are surrounded by infected people around the clock for days on end. They are at the highest risk due to their prolonged exposure, so this protection is even more necessary. The problem is that no locations were prepared for an event of this magnitude, so every single hospital very quickly realized they would need to obtain this protection as quickly as possible.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Farticles%2Fmasks-run-short-as-coronavirus-spreads-11582829321&psig=AOvVaw0bjPLk5yBr0faAe3_AO4cZ&ust=1585861992805000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAMQjB1qFwoTCND28LmSyOgCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

Luckily, to meet the rising need, many companies have committed to helping produce these vital products. Major companies are currently adjusting their manufacturing in order to make machinery like ventilators that will help fight the coronavirus. Some of these companies include Tesla, General Motors, Ford, and countless other companies that previously produced any type of metal machinery that could somehow be altered to manufacture ventilators to be used by the sick. These companies are producing as quickly as possible to meet the growing demands by states like New York and New Jersey, who have 74,427 and 18,696 cases respectively.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2020%2Fmar%2F27%2Fhow-ventilators-work-and-why-they-are-so-important-in-saving-people-with-coronavirus&psig=AOvVaw2ye-E8ONPBUQMvS6SbJKdD&ust=1585862033966000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAQQjB1qFwoTCLCR-MySyOgCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

Similarly, many companies that previously made fashion and clothing products are now altering their manufacturing to produce masks and gowns. Some of these companies include Dior, Burberry, Gucci, Nordstrom, Armani, Louis Vuitton, and many more. Many of these companies are partnering together, making commitments to produce millions upon millions of masks, gowns, overalls, and any other product that may be necessary to minimize the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Another one of these companies is Fanatics, which is based in Pennsylvania. Fanatics is the top provider to the MLB of jerseys, hats, and other baseball merchandise. However, due to recent demand, they have halted this production completely in order to help meet the drastic needs caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/coronavirus-mlb-jersey-provider-fanatics-creating-masks-and-gowns-for-medical-workers/

It is admirable to see all of these companies working tirelessly to provide protection to people that are currently struggling. These companies are surely losing profits by lowering production of their usual products. In addition, there are countless employees of these companies that are working ridiculous hours to try to meet the seemingly infinite demand. These people and companies know that they must take necessary steps in order to minimize the damage that this pandemic is able to do, so that we can get back to our normal lives as quickly as possible.

In the past week, the coronavirus has shown that it is not slowing down in the least bit. Even with the countless warnings to wash hands and practice social distancing, the number of infected people in the United States is rising exponentially. Before I discuss the recent developments of coronavirus I would once again urge everyone to do what they can to prevent the spread of the virus. Practicing the safety measures given out by the government is imperative if we are going to limit the amount of damage this virus can do. Staying home rather than going to hang out with friends or be in public is a small sacrifice that we will all have to make. It simply is not worth the risk.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fstory%2Fnews%2Fhealth%2F2020%2F03%2F24%2Fcoronavirus-social-distancing-fever-charting-kinsa%2F2897136001%2F&psig=AOvVaw2g1zg4fBmHvZAVQxZMH3fK&ust=1585264756425000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAMQjB1qFwoTCPj388jhtugCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAJ

As of now, there are at least 52,976 cases of the novel coronavirus in the United States and 704 people have died. There have already been 163 deaths reported today, according to a tally by CNN, making this the deadliest day in the US since the coronavirus pandemic began. This number of cases, however, is most likely very inaccurate. Experts predict that there are many times more cases in the United States than reported. This is due to struggles and delays in testing, people who have not shown symptoms yet, people that choose not to get tested, and many other factors. This is dangerous, as many people are not aware of actually how quickly the novel coronavirus is spreading and how close it may be to them. While the tragedies taking place in Europe and Asia seem far away, the US may not be that far behind. Some estimates say that the United States may be as close as a week behind Italy in terms of days of the pandemic. This means that it is a possibility of the United States having the same severity of the COVID-19 outbreak as Italy if measures aren’t taken to prevent it.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fourworldindata.org%2Fcoronavirus&psig=AOvVaw19gaQNlaN7a1xSmLyEjRDB&ust=1585264693277000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAQQjB1qFwoTCOi-zKnhtugCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAQ

The governor of Pennsylvania, Tom Wolf, recent issued “Stay at home” orders to Allegheny, Philadelphia, Chester, Delaware, Monroe, Montgomery, and Bucks counties. This encourages people to stay at home unless someone’s life depends on it. All businesses that are not life sustaining are now closed. In addition to this, all schools remain closed, and wouldn’t be expected to open for a significant amount of time. Students now must participate in online learning, where teachers and professors give their lessons online, so students can participate from home.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wgal.com%2Farticle%2Fall-non-life-sustaining-businesses-in-pennsylvania-ordered-to-close-physical-locations-to-stop-coronavirus-spread%2F31789626&psig=AOvVaw0pJXvZZ1uWG1qRoCicQcJB&ust=1585264607146000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAQQjB1qFwoTCMC0toDhtugCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE

In positive news, after taking measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus, China has gone a week with no new reported domestic cases of coronavirus. While they are still reporting some cases, this is as a result of people that are traveling into the country that are already infected with the virus. This shows that if steps are taken and recommendations are followed, the spread can be slowed and stopped.

Unfortunately, this does not appear to be in the near future for the United States. It will most likely get worse before it gets better. The only thing everyone can do now is avoid contact with others whenever possible and try to wash your hands whenever you get the chance.

Following the rise of the coronavirus pandemic, all Penn State sports have been cancelled and all students have been sent home for the remainder of the semester. Among the many implications of this virus is the fact that with no sports being played and no students even on campus, I have nothing to write about. Therefore, I have decided to begin writing about what killed my last blog: COVID-19. I plan on giving weekly updates on any major developments that take place concerning the virus and how it may affect us.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fif-you-are-sick%2Fsteps-when-sick.html&psig=AOvVaw26hPV2PA3bs-YMYkxLSFEN&ust=1584665569708000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAMQjB1qFwoTCJCinreppegCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

This week, I’d like to start off my new blog topic by discussing and hopefully debunking some of the common misconceptions that are currently held about the coronavirus. Many people have been spreading false knowledge, and this may cause unnecessary panic or even more damage done by the virus.

One of the most common misconceptions going around is that the pandemic originated from someone in Wuhan, China eating bat soup and becoming infected, then spreading COVID-19 to others. This is not the case, but it does stem from the truth. Coronaviruses in general are large family of viruses that can affect many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and… you guessed it… bats. These viruses can occasionally jump between species and sometimes even humans. This is most likely what took place with this specific strain of coronavirus. It may have stemmed from an animal market in China, where the virus spread from an unidentified animal to a human.

Another very dangerous misconception is that COVID-19 does not affect younger generations. Many believe that they do not have to worry about contracting the virus because either they cannot become infected by it, or even if they do, it will not harm them in any way. Similar to the last misconception, this stems from the truth, but is far from accurate. While the mortality rate for coronavirus tends to be lower in the younger generations, this in no way means they are off the hook. Coronavirus is very dangerous to any immunosuppressed people. This means that they are at a great risk if they catch the virus from anybody that has it, even if they do not feel the effects the same way. Because of this, it is arguably more important for younger generations to be cautious of the disease, due to the damage they could do if they spread the virus to others.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.statista.com%2Fchart%2F20860%2Fcoronavirus-fatality-rate-by-age%2F&psig=AOvVaw1c8qHOHt5X-24Hh3nV2qTs&ust=1584664809109000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAMQjB1qFwoTCMCB2cqmpegCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

One recent staple of the pandemic has been the purchase of face masks to protect people from catching the virus. These masks are designed to prevent fluids from a cough or a sneeze from entering a person’s airway. These masks cannot block airborne viruses. Masks are a good measure, but they cannot guarantee the virus won’t spread.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.boundtree.com%2FInfection-Control%2FFace-Masks%2FBiomask-Antiviral-Face-Masks-with-Earloop-Blue-Latex-free%2Fp%2F1031-21102&psig=AOvVaw1pyHxybzn6K-FdAysHeb4L&ust=1584665513104000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAMQjB1qFwoTCLi-g5uppegCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

Finally, as ridiculous as it seems, some people are trying to protect themselves by spraying their body and clothes with disinfectants in the absence of hand sanitizer. It is recommended that people should not spray themselves with rubbing alcohol, chlorine, or bleach. This will do much more harm than good.

(One last point: you can still catch the coronavirus even if you buy copious amounts of toilet paper and hand sanitizer. So save them for those that need it.)

This week I will be writing about the second day of the Big Ten Indoor Championships for the Penn State Track and Field team. This took place last weekend on Saturday the 29th. Again, I have very little experience in track and field, but it was still fun to read about Penn State performing well on such a big stage.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fbigten.org%2Fnews%2F2019%2F2%2F21%2Fwomens-xc-track-big-ten-indoor-track-field-championships-central.aspx&psig=AOvVaw3dpvj2SuuLBp8rcCVfyHrs&ust=1583380604605000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAMQjB1qFwoTCIiossf2_-cCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

The Nittany Lions track & field program won four individual Big Ten titles during the second day of competition at the SPIRE Institute this year. Senior captain Danae Rivers won a pair of Big Ten titles in the 800m and mile events to finish off her Big Ten Indoor Championships career.

Rivers made history by becoming the first women’s student-athlete in the Big Ten to win four consecutive 800m titles. Rivers captured her fourth title in the event by running 2:06.27. Rivers pulled away from the field on the back stretch to claim her championship. Earlier in the day, Rivers won the mile title with a time of 4:43.35. Rivers consistent pace allowed her to remain in the front of the pack before she pulled away and won the race by about a second.

Rivers finished her career with six Big Ten indoor titles with her four 800m titles, one mile championship and one in the DMR, or a distance medley relay.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fonwardstate.com%2F2019%2F03%2F09%2Fdanae-rivers-wins-historic-ncaa-indoor-track-field-title%2F&psig=AOvVaw2TH7Gn6D_enPNFALYVP1N_&ust=1583380673365000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAMQjB1qFwoTCLig-eb2_-cCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

Running in his final Big Ten Indoor Championship, senior captain Billy McDevitt continued the Nittany Lions dominance in the men’s 800m race. McDevitt qualified for the final by running 1:52.17 in last Friday’s qualifying. McDevitt followed up his qualifying time with a personal best time of 1:48.78 to win the men’s 800m race. It was the fifth consecutive title for the Nittany Lions in the men’s 800m and 11th in the last 13 years.

Penn State has won the last eight 800m Big Ten indoor titles between the men’s and the women’s 800m events.

Kiara Lester won the first Big Ten individual title of her career when she ran a personal best of 53.37 in the 400m final.

Lester also placed second in the 4 by 400m relay with a season best time of 3:37.69. The Nittany Lions relay team of Lester, Victoria Tachinski, Amariah Thomas and Antoinette Bradley won the third heat of the event and finished just .01 behind the first-place finishers.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.collegian.psu.edu%2Fsports%2Fdivision_one_sports%2Farticle_0d8f87e4-5a8d-11ea-879b-bb095b57b1d5.html&psig=AOvVaw3Qsl8z8ZEbPtVt7GvSForC&ust=1583380724614000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAMQjB1qFwoTCODShYH3_-cCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAI

Bradley added to her medal count as she finished third in the women’s 600m final. Bradley’s personal-best time of 1:29.75 gave her the third-place finish and the first individual medal of her Nittany Lion career.

Competing in his first Big Ten Indoor Championship, freshman Sincere Rhea collected his first Big Ten medal with a third place finish in the 60m hurdles. Rhea ran 7.82 in the hurdle finals to win the bronze.

Rhea and the 4x400m relay team of Savion Hebron, Rhea, Gary Ross and Rick Zink also climbed the podium with a seventh-place finish and a time of 3:11.92.

The women’s program finished in third with a final team score of 87.5 points and the men’s team placed ninth with 37 points.

In total, five Nittany Lions earned first team All-Big Ten honors and three earned second-team honors.

Up next, Penn State athletes will be selected for the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships March 14-15 in Albuquerque, New Mexico (if anyone wants to go over break).

This week I will be writing about our Women’s Lacrosse team and their most recent match on Sunday the 23rd. Our 25th ranked Women’s Lacrosse team had dominant performances on the attack and in the goal on Sunday to earn a 19-9 win over Cornell at Panzer Stadium. The Nittany Lions blitzed out to a 12-4 lead at the half. Penn State improved to 4-0 on the season, while Cornell dropped to 2-1.

Sophomore Taylor Suplee was outstanding protecting the net, making 20 saves in 51 minutes of action. Suplee bettered her career high of 18 against Maryland in the 2019 Big Ten Semifinals. It marked her 12th career double-digit save performance and her third this season.

On attack, nine different Nittany Lions scored at least one goal. Senior Maria Auth led Penn State with six points, including four goals and two assists. She has at least three goals in all four games this season. Sophomore Lauren Craft and senior Yasmain Hamood each had three goals and an assist, while junior Quinn Nicolai scored three times. Sophia Triandafils recorded two goals, while Olivia Dirks, Shannon Moore and Mary Muldoon each had one. Senior Katie Schluederberg dished out two assists, while Meghan Murray and Regan Nealon each contributed one assist.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.collegian.psu.edu%2Fsports%2Fwomen_lacrosse%2Farticle_8c8bda9c-5679-11ea-a088-03627647886d.html&psig=AOvVaw1oBrMg7nvDp-GURXtgX51P&ust=1582848905224000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAQQjB1qFwoTCLiXyOi58OcCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

Cornell was led by Caroline Allen’s three goals. Shannon Brazier collected two goals and two assists, while Katie Castiello scored twice. Grace Paletta and Isabel Zachara each had one goal. Katie McGahan made seven saves.

Penn State began the game on a 5-0 run, including a pair of goals each by Auth and Nicolai. Triandafils added a free-position tally. However, the Big Red slowed the run with back-to-back goals by Brazier and Castiello. But then, Craft ignited a 4-0 run off an assist by Murray. Triandafils and Nicolai both found the net again before Muldoon scored on a free-position look to give the Nittany Lions a 9-2 advantage with 12:23 remaining in the half.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.psuunderground.com%2F2019%2F02%2F26%2Fthe-no-11-penn-state-womens-lacrosse-team-look-climb-the-rankings-against-the-no-15-princeton-tigers%2F&psig=AOvVaw1oBrMg7nvDp-GURXtgX51P&ust=1582848905224000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAMQjB1qFwoTCLiXyOi58OcCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAQ

Cornell again answered with a pair of goals, this time by Allen and Brazier on free-position attempts.

The Nittany Lions closed the half on a 3-0 run, including a free-position goal each from Hamood and Auth. Craft scored again on a one-timer off an assist by Schluederberg. Penn State held a 12-4 lead at the half.

Penn State started the second half as it closed the first, with another 3-0 run. All three goals came off free-position attempts, including tallies by Auth, Dirks and Roberto.

Cornell answered with a goal by Allen, but Hamood and Craft found the net to extend the lead back to 17-5 with 18:43 remaining. A Big Red goal by Castiello preceded two more scores by the Nittany Lions. Hamood found the net off an assist by Nealon before Moore scored on a free-position attempt to give Penn State a 19-6 advantage.

Cornell scored the final three goals of the game, with one each by Allen, Zachara and Paletta.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fgopsusports.com%2Fnews%2F2018%2F11%2F13%2Fwomens-lacrosse-announces-2019-schedule.aspx&psig=AOvVaw32VZNHfxEfrshN6p9fjydc&ust=1582848997345000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAMQjB1qFwoTCMCJqZS68OcCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

The Nittany Lions conclude their four-game home streak next Saturday, February 29 against 12th ranked Loyola. First draw is at 1 p.m. at Panzer Stadium with a live stream on BTN Plus. A group of Penn State players will be doing a post-game autograph session on the concourse.

Tickets will be available at the stadium, and I fully recommend going to watch another one of our many ranked Penn State sports in action. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for youth aged 12 and under.

This week I am going to be writing about the Penn State men’s volleyball team. On Friday evening, the Nittany Lions played Princeton at home at Rec Hall. I played volleyball in high school, so this was a lot of fun to look in to and read about. While I couldn’t go to this match, I plan on attending several more volleyball matches by the end of this year.

The 10th-ranked Penn State men’s volleyball team roared to a big comeback victory, winning three-straight sets to down No. 11 Princeton, 3-1. The scores in each of the sets were 20-25, 25-23, 25-20, and finally 25-19.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.psu.edu%2Fphoto%2F274904%2F2013%2F04%2F26%2Fmens-volleyball-vs-princeton&psig=AOvVaw3K1Bg82Bpj5YHUDmmGHzlV&ust=1582244288449000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAMQjB1qFwoTCJimsbnt3ucCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

After dropping set one and grinding out a set two win, the Nittany Lions hit .473 (33-7-55) in the third and fourth sets to roll to five and six-point wins in the last two games.

The Nittany Lions snapped Princeton’s three-match win streak with the win and ended the Tigers’ five-match win streak over PSU since the 2018 season.

In the first set, both teams were tied 9-9 when the Nittany Lions went on a 5-0 run, with four points coming behind the serve of Brett Wildman. The run included an ace by the sophomore and two kills from senior Jason Donorovich.

Princeton slowly worked its way back with a four-point run later to pull within one at 16-15 and the Tigers eventually took lead at 19-18 and did not look back, ending the first game on a 16-6 run after taking a timeout all the way back when Penn State led at 14-9.

In set two, Penn State got a service ace from Henrik Falck Lauten to make it 7-4 as a part of a three-point rally that gave PSU an 8-4 lead.

Princeton pulled the margin within as close as two at several points and even managed to pull within one late a couple of times with both teams in the 20s, but Penn State persevered to win the game after a big block from Sam Marsh and Wildman plus a Princeton error gave the Nittany Lions its final two points needed.

Penn State made a lineup change in the third set by inserting Bobby Wilden to the rotation and the Nittany Lions found a much smoother offensive rhythm. Princeton led 6-2 early, but the Nittany Lions clawed their way back to tie the score 11-11 and take a 13-12 edge on a Wilden kill.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.collegian.psu.edu%2Fsports%2Fmen_volleyball%2Farticle_0d6d2684-4367-11e8-86ed-634e8df2ecd9.html&psig=AOvVaw3K1Bg82Bpj5YHUDmmGHzlV&ust=1582244288449000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAMQjB1qFwoTCJimsbnt3ucCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAV

PSU hit .481 (16-3-27) after posting hitting percentages of .097 and .154 in the first two sets. Back-to-back kills from Wildman and Wilden at 16-14 put momentum on Penn State’s side and the Nittany Lions never looked back, taking the set by five, 25-20.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fgopsusports.com%2Fnews%2F2019%2F4%2F20%2Fmens-volleyball-nittany-lions-season-ends-in-epic-five-set-title-match-against-princeton.aspx&psig=AOvVaw3K1Bg82Bpj5YHUDmmGHzlV&ust=1582244288449000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAMQjB1qFwoTCJimsbnt3ucCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAP

The Nittany Lions came out with a closers’ mentality in the fourth game to put the match away. Penn State had three kills in a row from Wildman, Wilden, and Donorovich to lead 13-8 and force a Princeton timeout.

Penn State’s lead swelled to nine points at 19-10 after two more Wilden kills and a Princeton attack error and the Nittany Lions wouldn’t allow the Tigers to recover, ending the match with a 25-19 win in game four.

Up next, Penn State will be playing at Sacred Heart University, Friday at 6.

This week I am going to be writing about the Penn State men’s wrestling team. Admittedly, I do not have an extensive knowledge of wrestling, but for this blog I am trying to learn what I can. On Sunday, the Nittany Lions wrestled against the Minnesota Gophers, securing a big win of 31-10. The Penn State Nittany Lions are 10-2, 7-1 in the Big Ten. In comparison, the Minnesota Gophers are 9-4, 4-3 in Big Ten matchups.

Penn State won seven of ten bouts in this win, never letting Minnesota see the light of day. There was never a doubt in this one, and the Nittany Lions just used it to display their dominance. Penn State is wrapping up of a run of four-of-five road duals in 16 days, including action at Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. All rankings listed are InterMat, the official wrestling rankings of the Big Ten Conference.

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The dual began at 125 where freshman Brandon Meredith, from Limerick Pennsylvania, received a forfeit victory to give the Nittany Lions an early 6-0 lead. Sophomore Roman Bravo-Young, from Tucson, Arizona, ranked No. 2 at 133, put on a takedown clinic in a 23-8 tech fall over Boo Dryden.

Junior Nick Lee, from Evansville Indiana, ranked No. 2 at 141, took on No. 5 Mitch McKee in one of the dual’s most anticipated matchups. The Nittany Lion junior took care of things quickly however, taking McKee down midway through the first period, locking up a cradle and pinning the fifth-ranked Gopher at the 1:56 mark to put the Nittany Lions up 17-0.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mndaily.com%2Farticle%2F2020%2F02%2Fs-gophers-wrestling-struggles-against-no-2-penn-state&psig=AOvVaw3eMSISj2cNHOwb1nCdIIez&ust=1581608102809000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAQQjB1qFwoTCJC9kLyrzOcCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAP

Junior Luke Gardner, from Pottsville, Pennsylvania, moved up to 157 for the dual and nearly took down gopher Ryan Thomas, but a late counter takedown was the difference in a 5-4 Thomas victory. Penn State led 17-6 at intermission.

Senior Vincenzo Joseph, from Pittsburgh, ranked No. 1 at 165, dominated Gopher Bailee O’Reilly to open up the second half. Joseph rolled up five takedowns in a 14-5 major decision to put Penn State up 21-6.

Senior Mark Hall, from Apple Valley, Minnesota, ranked No. 2 at 174, then took on No. 8 Devin Skatzka and continued Penn State’s trend of winning. Hall used three takedowns to win 7-4 over the eighth-ranked Gopher and Penn State led 24-6.

True freshman Aaron Brooks, from Hagerstown, Maryland, ranked No. 7 at 184, the clinched the dual meet with a dominant 13-3 major over Minnesota’s Owen Webster. Brooks’ win put the Lions up 28-6 with two bouts remaining.

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Senior Shakur Rasheed, from Coram, New York, ranked No. 18 at 197, held off a late rally from Gopher Garrett Joles and posted a 7-5 win with 3:32 in riding time.

True freshman Seth Nevills, from Clovis, California, ranked No. 15 at 285, took on No. 1 Gable Steveson in the dual’s final matchup and dropped a 13-5 major.

The Nittany Lions walked away with a second dominating road win in three days, 31-10 over the Gophers. Penn State rolled up a lopsided 27-11 advantage in takedowns.

Up next, Penn State hosts No. 3 Ohio State in the 2020 BJC Dual on Saturday, Feb. 15, at 7:30 p.m. The second ranked Nittany Lions will have a great matchup with the rival Buckeyes, and I would recommend watching it for any students, whether you are familiar with wrestling or not.

Even though last week I wrote about Penn States’s mens basketball team’s win against Michigan, I couldn’t resist writing about the mens basketball team twice in a row. On Tuesday night, our Nittany Lions played the sixteenth ranked Michigan State Spartans, winning with a final score of 75-70. Penn State came into the game ranked twenty second. After this game, it will be interesting to see how the rankings change and hopefully how much Penn State rises.

The Nittany Lions (17-5, 7-5 Big Ten) have won five straight games in the Big Ten for the first time and have become contenders in the conference during the second half of the regular season.

“It’s great that we’re in the position we’re in, but if you focus on that, that’s when you start to slip,” Chambers said.

The Spartans (16-7, 8-4) dropped consecutive games for the first time this season. They also lost to a Big Ten team at home for the first time this year.

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Michigan State’s Cassius Winston scored 25 points, but could not convert on two chances to pull into a tie in the closing seconds. Lamar Stevens had 24 points and Myreon Jones made a career-high six 3-pointers and scored 20 points. Stevens made two free throws to give Penn State a three-point lead with 16 seconds left. Winston had an opportunity to tie the game with a three-point play on the ensuing possession, but missed the free throw. Stevens then made two free throws to restore the three-point lead with 9.1 seconds left.

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The Spartans were then forced to foul Curtis Jones, who made two free throws to seal Penn State’s first victory at Michigan State since 2009 and just the second in 25 games.

Penn State was in control for much of the game, leading by as much as 11 in the first half and by six at halftime. The Nittany Lions played with composure in the second half when the Spartans tried to rally.

The program has already matched its total of Big Ten victories last season and should surpass its school record of 10 Big Ten wins. The Nittany Lions have set a school record with four road wins in the Big Ten.

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After this great win over a ranked Big Ten rival, the Nittany Lions seem to have unlimited potential, and the players and fans are surely looking ahead to March with high hopes. The Nittany Lions are in a position to earn an NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011 in their final season under coach Ed DeChellis (knock on wood). However, it is still February and I don’t want to get ahead of myself. Just have to take it one game at a time.

On Saturday, Penn State will host Minnesota in another Big Ten matchup. Tickets will be sold for $5 in the HUB on Thursday and Friday from 3-5. I highly recommend buying tickets and attending it should be a great game (it’s also whiteout so wear anything white you can find). The game will tip off at 4 pm.

To kick off my passion blog this semester, I am going to start off with a pretty common sport, basketball. The Penn State mens basketball team beat the Michigan Wolverines last Wednesday the 22nd. In many years past, Penn State has always just been known as a “football school.” We have always had a reputation of having a decent football team, but in other major sports like basketball and baseball, we did not perform very well. This year’s basketball team is trying to change that belief. With so far one of the best seasons in recent memory, (knock on wood) Penn State’s mens basketball team is on track to make its first NCAA tournament appearance since its early exit to Temple in 2011. It has become a trend on campus now that “Penn State is a basketball school,” and this thought is only gaining momentum.

https://www.itl.cat/wallview/JTRhiw_welcome-to-the-official-website-of-the-penn/

Penn State finished the game ahead of the Wolverines in both field goal percentage and three point percentage, with .428 and .421 for the Nittany Lions compared to .353 and .179 for Michigan, respectively.

Senior forward Lamar Stevens finished with a game-high 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds, including six in the second half. Sophomore guard Myreon Jones and Stevens helped the Nittany Lions get off to a hot start as Myreon Jones had 12 of his 16 in the first half and Stevens scored 14 in the first 20 minutes.

https://www.blackshoediaries.com/2019/2/12/18221587/penn-state-nittany-lions-basketball-michigan-wolverines-lamar-stevens-jordan-poole-upset-josh-reaves

The Nittany Lion bench, propelled by graduate guard Curtis Jones Jr.’s 18 second-half points, outscored Michigan’s bench 31-4. Curtis Jones Jr. had a stretch of 11 straight points with just under 13 minutes left in the game to help maintain Penn State’s lead in the second half.

Michigan only briefly held the lead, after going on a scoring run with Lamar Stevens on the bench. However, once Stevens came back in, the Nittany Lions quickly retook the lead and held it for the remainder of the game. The Wolverines brought the score to within five with just under four minutes to play, but clutch scoring and free throws from Curtis Jones Jr., Myles Dread, and Myreon Jones helped give Penn State a final boost to win the game.

After the game, Penn State coach Patrick Chambers said, “I think that’s 75, 80 percent of the battle is believing in what you do, believing in one another, playing for each other, and being great teammates. I feel like we did that tonight, we defended really well, we gave up some offensive rebounds there in the second half, but for the most part we got timely ones.”

https://www.blackshoediaries.com/2019/1/15/18179339/my-name-is-chris-and-i-support-pat-chambers-penn-state-basketball-ncaa-tournament-sandy-barbour-nit

With this win, Penn State’s mens basketball team moved to a record of 14-5. Their next game is another Big Ten matchup against Indiana University on Wednesday night (update: Penn State won this matchup as well, with a final score of 64-49). With Michigan being one of Penn State’s Big Ten rivals, this win means just a little bit more than the average game. This was only Penn State’s third win ever when traveling to Ann Arbor. I guess it’s basketball season and Michigan still sucks.