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Check out all the matches tonight involving NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball teams and how to follow those matches live.
No. 12 Ohio State (8-2, 4-0 MIVA) vs. Penn State (3-6, 1-0 EIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Columbus, Ohio
Follow live: Live stats, In-match tweets
What to know: It took much longer into the season than either coach expected when initially creating their schedules but No. 12 Ohio State and Penn State will finally face each other in a non-conference match. Despite the two teams from Big Ten schools competing in the Outrigger Invitational at the start of the season, a scheduling conflict prevented the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions from playing their annual match at the non-conference tournament. Ohio State is on a five-match winning streak since losing two matches at the Outrigger Invitational. In addition, Ohio State committed a season-low five attack errors and had a .465 attack percentage in a sweep against Lindenwood on Saturday. Freshman opposite Nicolas Szerszen also has double-digit kills in five of the last six matches. Along with the importance of playing Penn State, this match could have historical significance for Ohio State. With a victory, the Buckeyes would become the third team in college men’s volleyball history to have 1,000 win their program history. Penn State enters this road match on a three-match winning streak but is winless against nationally ranked teams so far this season. All-American outside attacker Aaron Russell, though, is second in the EIVA with a 4.56 kills per game average and has at least 20 kills in two of Penn State’s last three matches against ranked teams.
No. 4 UC Irvine (10-3, 5-2 MPSF) vs. No. 14 Cal State Northridge (5-6, 3-4 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Northridge, California
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
What to know: Beware of the mid-week upsets on the Matadome’s blacktop. No. 14 Cal State Northridge will attempt to upset another top-10 nationally ranked team in a mid-week conference match for the second consecutive week as it plays host to No. 5 UC Irvine. Cal State Northridge defeated No. 8 UC Santa Barbara in four games last week to help it move into the national coaches poll for the first time since the start of the season. The Matadors are 5-0 in mid-week home matches during the last two seasons with two victories coming against nationally ranked teams. In addition, Cal State Northridge outside attacker Sam Holt is among the MPSF leaders with a 3.48 kills per game average. UC Irvine is fourth place in the MPSF but can move within a match of first place if it defeats Cal State Northridge. The Anteaters also are the only team to have two players in top five of the MPSF for kills per game average. Outside attacker Tamir Hershko is third in the MPSF with a 3.75 kills per game average, while opposite Zack La Cavera is averaging 3.63 kills per game.
NJIT (4-3, 0-1 EIVA) vs. Stevens Tech
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Hoboken, New Jersey
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
No. 6 Hawai’i (7-3, 4-2 MPSF) vs. Cal Baptist (3-8, 1-7 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Riverside, California
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets