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Conference tournament seeding will be on the line with the start of the postseason looming two weeks away.
Princeton and Harvard highlight the slate of matches as they battle for sole possession of second place in the EIVA. In addition, No. 5 UC Irvine will play host to No. 10 Long Beach State in today’s only match between nationally ranked teams.
Check out the nation’s top college men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight.
Princeton (9-8, 5-2 EIVA) vs. Harvard (10-8, 4-2 EIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Follow live: Live stats, In-match tweets
What to know: One of the best emerging college men’s volleyball rivalries will be renewed tonight as Princeton and Harvard play each other. Both the Tigers and Crimson are separated by a half-match in the conference standings and the winner of tonight’s match will be in sole possession of second place in the EIVA. Princeton snapped a three-match losing streak with a sweep against St. Francis last week. Harvard also ended a losing streak last weekend as it beat George Mason in four games. In addition, middle attacker Caleb Zimmick in that victory had a match-high six blocks and was named the EIVA Defensive Player of the Week. This will be the second meeting this season between the two Ivy League schools. All-American opposite Cody Kessel had a match-high 22 kills as Princeton beat Harvard in four games in February. Kessel also enters this rivalry match fourth in the nation with a 4.15 kills per game average.
No. 5 UC Irvine (21-4, 15-3 MPSF) vs. No. 10 Long Beach State (13-11, 9-10 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7p.m. in Irvine, California
Follow live: Live Stats, Online video, In-match tweets
What to know: The top offense in the nation will return to the court with a chance to clinch a top-three seed for the upcoming MPSF Tournament. No. 5 UC Irvine enters its home match against No. 10 Long Beach State leading the nation with a .353 attack percentage and has hit above its season average in its last two matches. In addition, outside attacker Travis Woloson was named the National Player of the Week after having a combined 24 kills in a two-match series sweep against No. 6 BYU last weekend. Outside attacker Tamir Hershko and opposite Zack La Cavera are also both in the conference’s top five with more than 3.50 kills per game average. The Anteaters are in second place in the MPSF standings and have already clinched a home match for the MPSF Tournament quarterfinals. Long Beach State swept No. 14 Stanford last week to remain in seventh place in the MPSF. Middle attacker Taylor Gregory in that victory had a match-high seven blocks to extend his streak of having at least five blocks in the last five matches. In addition, Gregory is leading the conference with 119 blocks and a 1.53 blocks per game average.
No. 11 Ohio State (17-6, 7-3 MIVA) vs. Lindenwood (11-8, 6-6 MIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in St. Charles, Missouri
Follow live: Live stats, In-match tweets
What to know: Lindenwood will attempt to pull off another upset against a nationally ranked team and move a step closer to earning its first postseason home match as it plays host to No. 11 Ohio State. The Lions have won five of their last six matches, including beating McKendree in five games on Wednesday. In addition, Lindenwood during this stretch swept then-No. 14 Ball State for its first victory against a nationally ranked team since 2013. With four conference matches remaining, the Lions are tied for fourth place in the MIVA. A top-four finish would give Lindenwood a home match in the MIVA Tournament quarterfinals for the first time since it joined the conference in 2012. Opposite Colin Hackworth leads Lindewnood and is second in the conference averaging 3.85 kills per game. The senior also has at least 20 kills in two of the last three matches, including a season-high 28 kills in the victory against McKendree. Ohio State is in third place in the MIVA and three wins away from being guaranteed a top-three seed for the upcoming MIVA Tournament. Ohio State outside attackers Nicolas Szerszen and Miles Johnson also are both in the conference’s top 10 with more than a 3.10 kills per game average.
Pfeiffer (15-3, 14-1 CC) vs. Emmanuel (4-18, 2-15 CC)
Match vitals: 4 p.m. in Misenheimer, North Carolina
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
NJIT (8-9, 1-5 EIVA) vs. Sacred Heart (10-9, 1-5 EIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Fairfield, Connecticut
Follow live: Live stats, Online video
George Mason (8-10, 3-3 EIVA) vs. St. Francis (4-16, 2-4 EIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Fairfax, Virginia
Follow live: Live stats, In-match tweets
Mount Olive (12-9, 10-6 CC) vs. Charleston (3-21)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Mount Olive, North Carolina
Follow live: Live stats
No. 13 CSUN (9-15, 6-12 MPSF) vs. UC San Diego (2-21, 0-17 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in San Diego
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets