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It’s a lighter than usual slate of matches for a Friday night but there are still several intriguing match-ups.
No. 2 Long Beach State looks to maintain its status as the surprise team of the season as it plays No. 8 Cal State Northridge. In addition, Ball State and Lewis renew their conference rivalry in a match that could have significant MIVA implications.
Check out the top-five men’s volleyball matches from around the nation to follow this tonight.
1. No. 2 Long Beach State (11-4, 9-3 MPSF) vs. No. 8 Cal State Northridge (7-5, 5-5 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m in Northridge, Calif.
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, Radio feed, In-match Tweets
What to know: Long Beach State can match its longest winning streak in the last four years if it defeat Cal State Northridge on the road. The 49ers are on a three-match winning streak and have won six of their last seven matches, including a sweep against then-No. 3 Stanford last week. Outside attacker Taylor Crabb in that victory finished with 15 kills and has 49 combined during the team’s winning streak. Cal State Northridge’s match against Long Beach State will conclude the team’s five match homestand. The Matadors are 3-1 during their homestand and have already knocked off a top-five nationally ranked team.
2. Lewis (9-5, 5-0 MIVA) vs. Ball State (8-3, 2-3 MIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Romeoville, Ill.
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match Tweets
What to know: Two of the top blocking teams in the nation will face each other as Ball State and Lewis renew their conference rivalry. The Cardinals lead the nation with a 3.22 blocks per game average — one of two teams averaging more than 3.00 blocks per game. In addition, Ball State middle attacker Kevin Owens is first in the nation averaging 1.51 blocks per game, while middle attacker Matt Leske is third with a 1.40 blocks per game average. Lewis is second in the MIVA and fifth in the nation averaging 2.63 blocks per game. The Flyers also are on an eight-match winning streak and have yet to lose a match at home this season.
3. No. 9 Penn State (10-3, 4-1 EIVA) vs. George Mason (5-5, 3-0 EIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in University Park, Pa.
Follow live: Gametracker, Pay-per-view online video, In-match Tweets
What to know: The Nittany Lions will try bounce back from its first conference loss in five years by playing George Mason in a rematch of the 2012 EIVA championship match. Penn State last weekend lost in three games to Harvard to snap its NCAA-record 61-match conference winning streak dating back to 2008. The loss also dropped Penn State out of first place in the EIVA and a half-match behind George Mason in the EIVA standings. George Mason remains the only undefeated left in EIVA play. In addition, Patriots middle attacker Piotr Dabrowski leads the EIVA and is fourth in the nation averaging 1.39 blocks per game.
4. No. 3 BYU (9-3, 8-2 MPSF) vs. Pacific (5-6, 3-6 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Provo, Utah
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match Tweets
What to know: Saying BYU has dominated its series against Pacific might be an understatement. The Cougars are on a 15-match winning streak against the Tigers dating back to 2005. In addition, Pacific in its program history has never won on the road against BYU and has won only one game in Provo during the last 10 years. BYU also enters this match in first place in the MPSF and has won four of its last five matches, including a four-game road victory against USC last week. Pacific is on a three-match losing streak and a half-match behind Cal Baptist for eighth place in the conference.
5. Princeton (4-2, 2-1 EIVA) vs. St. Francis (5-9, 2-3 EIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Loretto, Pa.
Follow live: Live stats
What to know: The top outside attackers in the EIVA will go up against each other as Princeton travels to St. Francis. Princeton outside attacker Pat Schwagler leads the conference with a 4.00 kills per game average, while St. Francis outside attacker Logan Patterson is second in the EIVA averaging 3.89 kills per game. After starting its season 1-2, Princeton is on a three-match winning streak. In addition, Schwagler has 46 combined kills during that winning streak. St. Francis has lost three of its last four matches and is in fifth place in the EIVA.