UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The seventh-ranked Penn State men's volleyball team puts its four-match win streak on the line with a pair of nonconference battles this weekend at Rec Hall against Ball State and Ohio State.
The Nittany Lions will host Ball State in Rec Hall's south gym Friday at 7 p.m. followed by a bout with the Buckeyes in the main gym Saturday, also at 7 p.m.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Ball State Cardinals (3-3) vs. #7 Penn State Nittany Lions (4-2)
Date: Friday, January 31
Location: Rec Hall South Gym
Time: 7 p.m.
Stats: SideArm Stats
Ohio State Buckeyes (6-1) vs. Penn State
Date: Saturday, February 1
Location: Rec Hall Main Gym
Time: 7 p.m.
Video: BTN-Plus ($)
Stats: SideArms Stats
Weekend Game Notes: Penn State Game Notes
PARKING INFORMATION
Fans attending Friday's match are encouraged to park in parking lot Red-A up to 1.5 hours prior to the match (5:30) for free to avoid additional traffic in the Nittany Lion Parking Deck with the women's gymnastics meet occurring at the same time. Both Red-A and the Nittany Lion Parking Deck will be available for Saturday's match.
Additional Parking Information | Interactive Campus Parking Map
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE CARDINALS & BUCKEYES
Penn State is 62-26 all-time against Ball State with both teams splitting the last six matches, 3-3. Ball State took the latest matchup in the series, 3-1 (25-23, 18-25, 21-25, 23-25), on March 16, 2019.
The Nittany Lions' storied rivalry with the Buckeyes continues in their series as this marks the 111th meeting between the programs with PSU leading 73-36-1. The two teams split last season's series 1-1, with Penn State sweeping the last matchup at Rec Hall 3-0 (25-20, 25-18, 25-23) March 19, 2019.
NITTANY LION NOTES
- Penn State continued its move up in the AVCA Coaches Poll to a No. 7 ranking this week, its highest ranking since late February of the 2018 season. The Nittany Lions also rank sixth in the Off The Block media poll.
- PSU won both of its Big Ten/Pac 12 matches last weekend, marking the first time the Nittany Lions won both of its games in the challenge since its creation in 2016.
- Penn State's win over UCLA last Friday was its first win over the Bruins at home in program history (four matches).
- Penn State hit .500 to down the Bruins on Friday, which stands as the best team hitting percentage in a 3-set match this season for any team in the country. PSU's .371 hitting percentage Sunday against USC is also the second highest for a 5-set match this year, behind only the Trojans who hit .381 in that same match.
- The Nittany Lions already have three wins over opponents ranked higher than themselves, marking the first time Penn State has had three ranking-related upset wins in a season since 2015.
- Redshirt senior opposite Cal Mende won the EIVA's Defensive Player of the Week and Off The Block National Opposite of the Week for his efforts last weekend. The weekly conference award was the third of his career. He led Penn State with a great all-around effort recording 32 kills hitting .507, 12 digs, seven blocks, and five aces during the Big Ten/Pac 12 Challenge last weekend.
Congrats to Calvin Mende on winning the @EIVAVolleyball Defensive Player of the Week award! That's back-to-back weeks for the Nittany Lions!
— Penn State Men's Volleyball (@PennStateMVBALL) January 27, 2020
Mende hit .509 with 32 kills, five aces, seven blocks and 12 digs in wins over No. 6 UCLA and USC.#WeAre pic.twitter.com/dp2v4Q4e5H
NEXT UP
Penn State heads to Columbus for another challenge series when the Nittany Lions and Buckeyes will play Long Beach State and UC Santa Barbara from the Big West at the Covelli Center Friday and Saturday, February 7-8.
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.