PRINCETON, N.J. - Penn State looks to win the EIVA Tournament title for the 37th time in program history when it plays in the championship match against Princeton on Saturday at Dillon Gymnasium. The match is scheduled for 5 p.m. and will stream on ESPN+. The Nittany Lions are the two-time defending champions.
The Nittany Lions’ 36 EIVA Tournament titles are the most of any league member past or present. George Mason is second among active league members with four tournament titles.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Saturday, April 26 – 5 p.m.
Penn State (13-15, 8-4 EIVA) at No. 19 Princeton (15-10, 10-2 EIVA) | Live Stats | ESPN+
SERIES HISTORY
• Penn State and Princeton will meet for the 79th time overall and the 19th time in the EIVA Tournament.
• The Nittany Lions are 68-10 in the all-time series with the Tigers. The teams split their two matches at Rec Hall in the final weekend of the regular season.
• Penn State is 15-3 against Princeton in the EIVA Tournament. The Nittany Lions are 5-1 against the Tigers in championship matches, winning in 1996, 1997, 2010, 2014, and 2023.
• The teams have played an EIVA Tournament match against each other at Dillon Gymnasium on just one other occassion. Princeton beat Penn State in the championship match in 2019.
HOW WE GOT HERE
• Penn State earned the three seed in the EIVA Tournament after going 11-15 overall and 8-4 in the conference. The Nittany Lions had five players earn All-EIVA honors -- Ryan Merk (first team), Will Kuhns (first team), Owen Rose (second team), Gaige Gabriel (honorable mention), Matthew Luoma (honorable mention).
• The Nittany Lions have swept their way through the tournament so far, posting 3-0 wins over sixth-seeded Harvard in the first round and second-seeded NJIT in the semifinal.
• Owen Rose hit .733 with 2.00 kills/set and 1.67 blocks/set through the first two wins of the conference tournament. Matthew Luoma has been the team’s most prolific player in the tournament so far, hitting .340 with 4.50 kills/set and three aces. Sophomore setter Michael Schwob is averaging 10.67 assists/set while guiding the team to .311 hitting. He also has six aces through six sets.
HOW THEY GOT HERE
• Princeton won the regular season title and earned hosting rights for the EIVA Tournament after going 14-10 overall and 10-2 in the conference. Senior setter Henry Wedbush was voted the EIVA Player of the Year. Joining him with All-EIVA recognition were Nyherowo Omene (first team), Ryan Vena (first team), Mason Rice (second team), and Roan Alviar (honorable mention).
• The Tigers opened the tournament with a 3-1 win over fourth-seeded George Mason in the semifinal round on Thursday. Omene put up huge numbers in the win, hitting .457 with 28 kills, six digs, and three aces. Wedbush racked up 52 assists as Princeton hit .357. Also recording double-digit kills were Rice with 13 and Owen Mellon with 12.
CAREER HIGHS SET LAST MATCH
vs. NJIT (4/24)
• Carter Dittman - blocks (4)
STREAKS TO WATCH
Matthew Luoma
• 4 straight matches with double-digit kills
Ryan Merk
• 89 straight starts at libero
Owen Rose
• 9 straight matches with at least five kills
Michael Schwob
• 4 straight matches with three aces
UP NEXT
• The NCAA Selection Show will air live on April 27 at 4 p.m. on NCAA.com.