College men’s volleyball postseason matches to follow today

Photo courtesy of Pepperdine athletics

Check out all the college men’s volleyball matches to follow today and how to follow the matches live.

MPSF Tournament final

No. 3 seed Pepperdine (18-9, 7-5 MPSF) vs. No. 5 seed Stanford (14-13, 4-8 MPSF)
Match vitals:
6 p.m. in Los Angeles
Follow live: Live video (FloSports), Live stats, In-match tweets
What to know: In a battle of Jaylen Jasper’s old school versus his new school, this title match features one team that most people expected to be in it – Pepperdine – and a team that few people expected to be in it – Stanford. This has been a historic season for the Cardinal as they have gone from having their program restored to clinching a title match appearance in the period of less than 340 days. To get to the title match, the Cardinal had to defeat No. 1 UCLA for the first time in Pauley Pavilion since 2003. Stanford was also 0-10 on the road going into Thursday night’s match. The Cardinal, who have only 14 men on their roster, are led by junior outside attacker Will Rottman, who is No. 5 nationally with 4.37 kills per game. On the other side of the net, Pepperdine is led by setter Bryce Dvorak who leads the team with 49 aces and 10.85 aces per game, and middle attacker Austin Wilmot who leads the Waves with a .409 attack percentage and 98 blocks. Pepperdine has won the last twelve matches in the series, including both matches in Malibu last weekend. Pepperdine is looking to go to the NCAA championship for the third straight time, and also the third time in the five years while Coach David Hunt has been at the helm.

ConfCarolinas Tournament final

No. 1 seed North Greenville (19-5, 12-2 EIVA) vs. No. 3 seed Mount Olive (16-6, 11-3 ConfCarolinas)
Match vitals:
6:30 p.m. in Mount Olive, North Carolina
Follow live: Live video, Live stats, In-match tweets
What to know: Both teams lead all major statistical categories in the conference. This is a battle of two contrasting rosters – North Greenville is led by their dynamic freshman duo of middle attacker Michael de la Cruz and opposite Gregory Torres. De la Cruz leads the Crusaders with 77 blocks, 41 aces, and a .396 attack percentage, while Torres leads the squad with 3.28 kills per game. On the hand, Mount Olive is led by their trio of upperclassmen of Eric Visgitis, Luke Visigits, and Tobi Azeez. Azeez, the ConfCarolinas Offensive Player of the Year in 2021, has been only played in 57 of 90 games this year. Mount Olive has lost the last three matches in the series, including both matches this year. Both matches this year went the distance, but the most recent one was in Mount Olive and played without Azeez in the lineup. With North Greenville head coach Dr. Fred Battenfield retiring at the end of season, the Crusaders are hoping to send him out on top. This is North Greenville’s first-ever appearance in the championship match, while Mount Olive is looking for a bit of redemption, having lost the four title matches. Mount Olive also was the 2021 regular season champions, but lost in the conference finals to Belmont Abbey.

EIVA Tournament final

No. 3 seed NJIT (17-10, 10-6 EIVA) vs. No. 4 seed Princeton (14-12, 10-6 EIVA)
Match vitals:
7 p.m. in University Park, Pennsylvania
Follow live: Live video, Live stats, In-match tweets
What to know: Princeton one year ago was as far from competing for a conference title as nearly possible. The Tigers had opted out of the 2021 season because of the coronavirus pandemic. The previous year Princeton had its attempt to defend its 2019 EIVA championship cut short because of the pandemic. Yet, the Tigers are back with a chance to win a second EIVA Tournament in a four-year span. Princeton days after pulling off one of its biggest upsets in program history will play NJIT in an All-New Jersey EIVA Tournament finals. Outside attacker Ben Harrington led Princeton with a season-high 21 kills on a .415 attack percentage in a five-game victory against the No. 1 seed Penn State in the semifinals. Harrington enters the finals having double-digit kills in five consecutive matches and is in the conference’s top 10 averaging 3.24 kills per game. Princeton also is on a nine-match winning streak, including a four-game victory against NJIT in March. NJIT is making its first EIVA Tournament finals appearance since 1999 and is attempting to win its first conference championship in program history. Middle attacker Martin De Chavarria leads the conference and is fourth in the nation with a 1.24 blocks per game average. Opposite Julian Meissner also is second in the conference averaging 3.57 kills per game. Meissner had 21 kills in the recent loss to Princeton and has a combined 35 kill through first two rounds of the EIVA Tournament.

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MIVA Tournament final

No. 1 seed Ball State (22-3, 12-2 MIVA) vs. No. 6 seed Purdue Fort-Wayne (17-12, 6-8 MIVA)
Match vitals:
7 p.m. in Muncie, Indiana
Follow live: Live video, Live stats, In-match tweets
What to know: One of the most intense rivalries in college men’s volleyball will be taken to the next level with its latest installment. Ball State and Purdue Fort Wayne will play for a spot in the NCAA Tournament as the two schools that are separated by about 75 miles meet in the MIVA Tournament finals for the first time since 1994. The Mastodons have already upset the No. 3 and No. 2 seeds en route to becoming the first No. 6 seed in MIVA Tournament history to reach the finals. However, Purdue Fort Wayne will have to find a way to slow down outside attacker Kaleb Jenness to knock off the No. 1 seed Ball State. Jenness, the MIVA Player of the Year, leads the conference and is second in the nation with a 4.67 kills per game average. The outside attacker also had a combined 52 kills on a .511 attack percentage in two regular season wins against the Mastodons, including a career-high 31 kills in a five-game win in February. Along with Jenness, opposite Angelos Mandilaris is seventh in the country averaging 4.17 kills per game. Opposite Jon Diedrich leads Purdue Fort Wayne and is in the nation’s top 15 with a 4.00 kills per game average. Diedrich has at least 15 kills in five consecutive matches highlighted with a season-high 25 kills in a regular season finale loss to Ball State. Both Ball State and Purdue Fort Wayne are attempting to end conference championship droughts. The Cardinals have not won the MIVA Tournament finals since 2002, while the Mastodons have not won a conference title since they last appeared in the finals in 2007.

Big West Tournament final

No. 1 seed Long Beach State (20-4, 8-2 Big West) vs. No. 2 seed Hawai’i (22-5, 7-3 Big West)
Match vitals: 7:30 p.m. in Honolulu
Follow live: Live video (ESPN+), Live radio, Live stats, In-match tweets
What to know: There is no love between these two teams who represent the last three national champions between them. The last time these two teams played in Hawaii, the match was marred by delays cause led by Long Beach State complaining about artificial noise being played while they were serving. Fortunately there will be fans allowed at SimplFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. Long Beach State has won both regular season matches this year three weeks ago, both in four games. Reigning national player of the week, Hawai’i opposite Dimitrios Mouchlias struggled, being pulled in both matches. Like they did in those matches, Hawai’i will look to its all-conference middle attacker Guilherme Voss to lead the way. Voss is No. 3 nationally with 1.309 blocks per game, and is attacking at a .492 clip on the year.

IVA Tournament matches

Finals

Lincoln Memorial (19-7) vs. Daemen (16-5)
Match vitals:
5 p.m. in Charlotte, North Carolina
Follow live: Live video, Live stats
What to know: The wait is over for one of the most anticipated matchups between independent programs. Lincoln Memorial and Daemen both advanced to the IVA Tournament finals to set up the first meeting between the two programs since 2020. The Railsplitter and Wildcats have the best records among independent teams during the last two seasons. In addition, both teams are ranked in the top 10 of the Off the Block Division II National Coaches Poll. Daemen outside attacker Zach Schneider is among the national leaders with both a 0.48 aces per game average and a 3.38 kills per game average. Scheider also had a combined 34 kills and hit more than .300 in Daemen’s IVA Tournament wins against Tusculum and Queens on Friday. Outside attacker Johansen Negron leads Lincoln Memorial with a 3.00 kills per game average. Negron as part of Lincoln Memorial’s current nine-match winning streak also had a program-record 31 kills in a victory against King in March. Along with trying to win its fourth straight IVA Tournament championship, Lincoln Memorial with a win will likely end the season in the top 10 of the RPI.

Seventh-place match

Alderson Broaddus (6-22) vs. D’Youville (8-13)
Match vitals:
10:30 a.m. in Charlotte, North Carolina
Follow live: Live video, Live stats

Fifth-place match

Fairleigh Dickinson (7=15) vs. Tusculum (7-20)
Match vitals:
10:30 a.m. in Charlotte, North Carolina
Follow live: Live video, Live stats, In-match tweets

Third-place match

Queens (17-12) vs. Limestone (18-10)
Match vitals:
2 p.m. in Charlotte, North Carolina
Follow live: Live video, Live stats