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Four of the top 10 nationally ranked teams have already lost this week and there is a chance even more could go down tonight.
No. 3 Long Beach State versus No. 4 Stanford in a battle of top-five nationally ranked teams highlights tonight’s matches. In addition, Loyola and Lewis renew their rivalry in a conference match so big that both teams have produced Harlem Shake videos to promote the match.
Check out the top-five men’s volleyball matches from around the nation to follow this tonight.
1. No. 3 Long Beach State (10-4, 8-3 MPSF) vs. No. 4 Stanford (9-4, 6-4 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7:30 p.m. in Long Beach, Calif.
Follow live: Gametracker, In-match Tweets
What to know: The two outside attackers having the biggest breakout seasons in the MPSF will go up against each other as Long Beach State plays host to Stanford. Long Beach State outside attacker Taylor Crabb entered this week third in the conference with a 4.12 kills per game average. In addition, the 49ers have won five of their last six matches. Crabb during that six-match span has 104 combined kills, including a match-high 14 kills in a victory against Pacific on Friday. Stanford outside attacker Brian Cook is in the conference’s top five with a 4.11 kills per game average. Cook also had a match-high 21 kills in a four-game victory against No. 8 Cal State Northridge on Friday to keep the Cardinal in fifth place in the MPSF.
2. Lewis (8-5, 4-0 MIVA) vs. Loyola (9-5, 2-0 MIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Chicago
Follow live: Gametracker, Online video, In-match Tweets
What to know: The only returning AVCA All-American outside attackers from the MIVA last season will go up against each other as Loyola and Lewis renew their in-state rivalry. Loyola All-American outside attacker Joseph Smalzer is second in the conference with a 3.74 kills per game average. In addition, Lewis All-American outside attacker Jay Petty after being named the preseason favorite to win the MIVA Player of the Year is in the conference’s top 15 averaging 2.76 kills per game. Both Lewis and Loyola also enter this rivalry match undefeated in conference and with some of the longest winning streaks in the nation.The Flyers are on a seven-match winning streak, including three sweeps during this streak. The Ramblers are on a five-match winning streak and opened its conference season last weekend with sweeps against Quincy and Lindenwood.
3. No. 2 BYU (8-3, 7-2 MPSF) vs. USC (3-5, 3-5 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Los Angeles
Follow live: Gametracker, Online video, In-match Tweets
What to know: BYU less than 24 hours after losing in five games to No. 5 Pepperdine will now try to recover on the road and beat USC. Outside attacker Taylor Sander in the loss Friday was held to a season-low 11 kills — the All-American junior’s fewest kills in a five-game match during his college career. Despite the loss, the Cougars remain in first place in the MPSF and have a one-match lead on second-place UC Irvine. USC defeated Cal Baptist in four games on Thursday to snap a four-match conference losing streak. The Trojans are also on a four-match winning streak against the Cougars dating back to 2011.
4. No. 6 UCLA (9-7, 5-5 MPSF) vs. Hawai’i (4-8, 3-6 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Los Angeles
Follow live: Gametracker, Online video, Radio feed, In-match Tweets
What to know: UCLA and Hawai’i will conclude their two-match series after the Bruins swept the Warriors in the opener Friday. UCLA in the victory out-hit Hawai’i .338 to .191 and finished with 11 blocks — nine more than the Warriors. UCLA outside attacker Robart Page had a team-high 11 kills along with four blocks against Hawai’i. The Bruins with this victory also snapped their two-match losing streak and no longer have a losing record in conference play. Outside attacker Brook Sedore in the loss led Hawai’i with 11 kills and was the only Warrior to have double-digit kills.
5. Harvard (6-2, 2-1 EIVA) vs. St. Francis (5-8, 2-2 EIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Cambridge, Mass.
Follow live: Live stats, Pay-per-view online video
What to know: Harvard has a chance to move into the national rankings for the first time this season if it can complete the weekend conference sweep and beat St. Francis. The Crimson on Friday had their best conference victory in program history as it swept Penn State to snap the Nittany Lions 61-match EIVA winning streak. The win was also first time Harvard defeated Penn State. Harvard all-conference outside attacker DJ White in his first match back from an leg injury finished with a match-high 13 kills to lead the Crimson past the Nittany Lions. St. Francis swept Sacred Heart on Friday to snap a two-match losing streak. In addition, Red Flashes outside attacker Logan Patterson is second in the conference with a 3.82 kills per game average.