UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The No. 11 Penn State men's volleyball team finishes a six-match homestand and puts its four-match win streak on the line this weekend in an EIVA series against NJIT Feb. 13-14 at Rec Hall.
Saturday's match will be played in Rec Hall's South Gym while Sunday will be in the main gym.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
NJIT Highlanders (2-2, 2-0 EIVA) at Penn State Nittany Lions (5-1, 2-0 EIVA)
Dates: Saturday, Feb. 13 | Sunday, Feb. 14
Times: 3 p.m. | 3 p.m.
B1G+ Video: Game 1 | Game 2
Stats: Both matches
A NOTE FOR FANS
Under current guidance, the general public, beyond student-athletes' families, will not be permitted for 2021 Penn State men's volleyball home games.
THE MATCHUP
Penn State has historically dominated the matchup against NJIT with a 45-1 overall record and has not lost to the Highlanders since 1998. However, NJIT and head coach Danny Goncalves have a very athletic and physical team this season that was picked to finish second in the EIVA just behind Penn State and even received a first-place vote in the conference.
The Nittany Lions downed NJIT 3-0 in last season's lone matchup Feb. 15, 2020, a match also played in the south gym. Brett Wildman had a stellar performance with 17 kills and a .560 hitting percentage.
NITTANY LION QUICK BITS
- Wildman posted his first career double-double in last Saturday's five-set win over Saint Francis with a season-best 17 kills and career-best 11 digs.
- Cal Fisher has put down double-digit kills in each of his five starts this season and ranks 17th nationally in hitting percentage (.352).
- Penn State has performed well in various team statistical categories this season that have a strong correlation to the 5-1 start to the season. The Nittany Lions rank fourth in nation in aces per set (1.95), seventh in opposing hitting percentage (.281) and eight in hitting percentage (.281).
- Michael Valenzi has steadily improved over his first five career starts and hit double-digit kills for the first time last Saturday against Saint Francis (10).
- For more information on this weekend's matches and an in-depth team outlook with insight from head coach Mark Pavlik, see our Penn State men's volleyball notebook.