LOS ANGELES – The third-ranked Penn State men's volleyball team takes on No. 12 USC and No. 2 UCLA at the B1G/Pac-12 Challenge hosted by UCLA at Pauley Pavilion Friday and Saturday, Jan. 21-22.
Penn State will faces the Trojans Friday evening on Pac-12 Network Los Angeles before battling the Bruins Saturday night. Ohio State will also take on both L.A. schools Friday and Saturday.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Penn State (4-0) vs. USC (4-0)
Date: Friday, Jan. 21
Time: 10:30 ET / 7:30 PT
TV: Pac-12 Network Los Angeles
Stats: Live Stats
Penn State vs. UCLA (3-0)
Date: Saturday, Jan. 22
Time: 10:30 ET / 7:30 PT
Watch: Pac-12 Insider-UCLA Live Stream
Stats: Live Stats
THE MATCHUP
Penn State enters the B1G/Pac 12 Challenge with a 5-5 record in the event since its inception in 2016. That includes a 4-1 record against USC and a 1-4 record against UCLA. In the most recent B1G/Pac12 Challenge at Penn State in 2020, the Nittany Lions won both matches (3-0 vs. #6 UCLA, 3-2 vs. USC). This will be the first time all four teams in the showcase enter the challenge undefeated.
PSU is 11-19 all-time against the Trojans and have won five of the last six matchups dating back to 2015. PSU is 7-31-1 all-time against the Bruins and snapped an eight-match losing streak to the Bruins in the last matchup with its B1G/Pac12 Challenge win in 2020.
MORE NOTES AND INFO
- Penn State now ranks No. 3 in this week's AVCA poll, its highest ranking in the coaches polls since 2009. PSU also ranked No. 2 in the Off the Block media poll, its highest ranking in the poll since its creation in 2016.
- PSU added two more ranked victories last week with a pair of 3-0 sweeps over No. 6 Grand Canyon. The Nittany Lions four-match win streak over nonconference ranked opponents is its longest since 2015.
- Senior middle blocker Sam Marsh was named the AVCA National Player of the Week after scoring 19 kills while hitting .783 in two matches against GCU. He started the weekend 12 for his first 12, including a perfect 7-0-7 line in last Thursday's match.
- Senior opposite Cal Fisher also had a great series vs. GCU with 25 kills at .463 and four aces. The 2021 Off the Block Server of the Year has 12 aces through four matches and ranks 8th in program history with 105 aces, just behind Joe Sunder (107) and Matt Proper (108) on the list.
- Senior outside hitter Brett Wildman continues his charge as one of the nation's top point scorers and enters the weekend leading Penn State in points per set (4.71) and kills per set (3.67). The athletic leaper with a dynamite arm is also hitting .419 with 7 service aces in 2022 to go with a strong defensive start that includes 10.0 total blocks.
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.