UNVERSITY PARK, Pennsylvania – The Penn State men's volleyball team takes its first trip to the West Coast in 2019 with a pair of matches in Long Beach, California in the 2019 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Showcase.
The Nittany Lions are set to take on top-ranked Long Beach State Friday evening beginning at 8 p.m. PT / 11 p.m. ET before a follow-up match with No. 6 UC Santa Barbara Saturday evening at 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Penn State (4-4) at #1 Long Beach State (10-0)
Date: Friday, February 8
Time: 8 p.m. PT / 11 p.m. ET
Venue: Walter Pyramid Arena
Watch: BIG WEST TV
Statistics: LIVE STATS
Penn State vs. #6 UC Santa Barbara (9-3)
Date: Saturday, February 9
Time: 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET
Venue: Walter Pyramid Arena
Statistics: LIVE STATS
SETTING THE SCENE
The Nittany Lions lost a pair of road matches last weekend in the Chicago area to ranked foes Lewis (#10) and Loyola Chicago (then #7, now #8). Penn State battled the Flyers before dropping two close sets in a 3-0 loss last Friday. The next day, the Nittany Lions took set one from the Ramblers and had multiple set points in both the third and fourth frames, but Loyola Chicago topped the Nittany Lions 3-1 for the match.
Long Beach State enters the weekend as the one of two undefeated teams remaining in the nation at 10-0 after their 2018 national championship. LBSU has dropped only one set this season and are coming off three-straight sweeps at the Lindenwood Tournament Jan. 31-Feb. 2.
UC Santa Barbara is one of the hottest teams in the country with six-straight wins all against ranked opponents dating back to Friday, Jan. 18. The Gauchos recently swept BYU 3-0 and 3-0 in back-to-back games last weekend, Feb. 1-2.
Both Long Beach and UCSB will also play Ohio State this weekend in the AVCA Showcase.
SCANDANAVIAN FIREPOWER
- Redshirt junior Henrik Falck Lauten has recorded double-digit kills in four matches this season including three straight dating back to 1/26 vs. Lindenwood.
- He hit .500 (9-2-14) in Penn State's 3-0 win over McKendree 1/25.
- Falck Lauten recorded Penn State's first double-double of 2019 with 11 kills and a career-high 10 digs 2/2 at Loyola Chicago.
- He has posted three four-block games 1/18 vs. BYU, 1/26 vs. Lindenwood, and 2/2 at Loyola Chicago. His 16 total blocks rank second on the Nittany Lions.
NEXT UP
- The Nittany Lions return to Rec Hall for its first two EIVA matches at home this season Feb. 15-16.
- Penn State hosts Harvard Friday at 6 p.m. and Sacred Heart Saturday at 7 p.m.
- Both games will be played in Rec Hall's South Gym.
For more information on Penn State men's volleyball, follow the Nittany Lions on Twitter @PennStateMVBALL and Instagram @pennstatemvball and "like" the Penn State men's volleyball page on Facebook.