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Almost every possible type of marquee match-up is set to take place tonight.
Three matches that feature both teams in the top 10 of the nationally rankings highlight the start to the weekend in the MSPF. In addition, the newest non-conference event, the Off the Block East vs. Midwest Challenge, opens with IPFW playing host to St. Francis.
Check out the top college men’s volleyball matches from around the nation to follow tonight.
No. 4 UCLA (3-0, 0-0 MPSF) vs. No. 7 BYU (1-1, 0-0 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Provo, Utah
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
What to know: For two teams with significant roster turnover from last year, it’s only fitting that the new starters will experience in their conference opener one of the most intense rivalries in recent years. No. 7 BYU will open a two-match home series against No. 4 UCLA. BYU enters its home opener after upsetting No. 5 Lewis in four games last weekend at the AVCA Showcase. Outside attacker Jake Langlois making his second career start in the victory had a match-high 22 kills. In addition, sophomore middle attacker Joseph Grosh had a 10 blocks as the Cougars finished the non-conference match with 17 blocks. UCLA went undefeated at the Asicis Invitational last weekend, including a four-game victory against No. 13 IPFW. Freshman outside attacker Jake Arnitz led all players with 18 kills in that non-conference victory. In addition, UCLA in its tournament finale set a single-match program record with 15 aces in a sweep against Limestone.
No. 2 Pepperdine (5-0, 1-0 MPSF) vs. No. 8 USC (1-0, 0-0 MPSF)
Match vitals: 8 p.m. in Los Angeles
Follow live: Live stats, Radio feed, In-match tweets
What to know: Two of the best setters in the nation will face each other as No. 8 USC opens its conference season against No. 2 Pepperdine. USC All-American setter Micah Christenson was the inaugural recipient of the Lloy Ball Award last year and spent the off-season as the starting setter for the U.S. Men’s National Team at the FIVB World League. In addition, Pepperdine All-American setter Matt West was one of the three finalists for the 2014 Lloy Ball Award. In addition, West has helped guide the Waves offense to a .348 attack percentage so far this season. Pepperdine also out-hit Cal Baptist .323 to .266 in a conference-opening sweep on Wednesday. Christenson in the Trojans’ season-opener had 52 assists as USC defeated Grand Canyon in five games last week.
No. 3 UC Santa Barbara (4-0, 0-0 MPSF) vs. No. 9 Hawai’i (3-1, 0-0 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Honolulu
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, Radio feed, In-match tweets
What to know: Both No. 3 UC Santa Barbara and No. 9 Hawai’i will attempt to get a marquee early-season conference victory as they open their two-match series tonight. UC Santa Barbara enters MPSF play after winning all of its home non-conference matches last week and sweeping three of those four matches. Middle attacker Jake Staahl also has a team-high 21 blocks, including eight blocks in a four-game victory against No. 13 IPFW at Asics Invitational. Hawai’i finished last week going 2-1 at its home tournament the Outrigger Invitational. Outside attacker Sinisa Zarkovic led the Rainbow Warriors in kills for all three matches and had a season-high 20 kills in a four-game victory against Ohio State.
No. 10 Penn State (0-2, 0-0 EIVA) vs. Ball State (2-0, 0-0 MIVA)
Match vitals: 7:30 p.m. in Muncie, Indiana
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
What to know: One of the oldest non-conference rivalries in college men’s volleyball will be renewed as Ball State plays host to No. 10 Penn State on the opening day of the Off the Block East vs. Midwest Challenge. Penn State enters this new non-conference event after losing both its matches at the Outrigger Invitational last week. Despite the losses, All-American outside attacker Aaron Russell led Penn State with a combined 29 kills in the two matches. Ball State is on a two-match winning streak and had more than a .400 attack percentage in both of its victories against Mount Olive and Barton last week. With the exception of one year, Ball State and Penn State have met each other at least once in non-conference play since the early-1980s. The Nittany Lions lead the all-time series history but the Cardinals have won the last two matches played at Worthen Arena.
No. 13 IPFW (1-2, 0-0 MIVA) vs. St. Francis (0-4, 0-0 EIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Fort Wayne, Indiana
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What to know: Hall of Fame coach Arnie Ball will have one final home opener as IPFW plays host to St. Francis to open the Off the Block East vs. Midwest Challenge. Ball, the only coach in IPFW’s program history, is in his final season with the Mastodons before he retires. IPFW returns home after upsetting then-No. 13 Cal State Northridge at the Asics Invitational last week. In addition, all-conference outside attacker Andrew Sellan had a team-high 17 kills in a near upset against No. 3 UC Santa Barbara last week. St. Francis finished its season-opening West Coast road trip 0-4 but almost pulled off an upset against No. 4 UCLA.
Erskine (0-0) vs. Rutgers-Newark (0-1)
Match vitals: 5 p.m. in Puerto Rico
Follow live: In-match tweets
No. 14 Ohio State (3-2, 2-0 MIVA) vs. Limestone (1-3, 1-0 CC)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Columbus, Ohio
Follow live: Live stats, In-match tweets
North Greenville (0-3, 0-1 CC) vs. Mount Olive (0-1, 0-0 CC)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Mount Olive, North Carolina
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
Barton (0-2, 0-1) vs. Emmanuel (0-0)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Wilson, North Carolina
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Quincy (0-0, 0-0 MIVA) vs. Belmont Abbey (0-0, 0-0 CC)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Belmont, North Carolina
Follow live: Online video, In-match tweets
No. 5 Lewis (3-1, 0-0 MPSF) vs. Harvard (0-0, 0-0 EIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Romeoville, Illinois
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NJIT (0-1, 0-0 EIVA) vs. Lindenwood (1-0, 0-0 MIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in St. Charles, Missouri
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Charleston (0-0) vs. King (0-0, 0-0 CC)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Bristol, Tennessee
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Grand Canyon (2-2, 0-0 MIVA) vs. Coker (0-2)
Match vitals: 6 p.m. in Phoenix, Arizona
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No. 12 Stanford (1-2, 0-0 MPSF) vs. Cal Baptist (2-2, 0-1 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Riverside, California
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No. 15 Cal State Northridge (2-2, 0-0 MPSF) vs. UC San Diego (1-1, 0-1 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Northridge, California
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
Holy Names (0-1) vs. UC Santa Cruz (1-1)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Sana Cruz, California
Follow live: In-match tweets