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In a weekend that already has several upsets, there is a chance for even more.
No. 4 BYU will look to rebound from its upset loss as it plays Stanford again to close out their two-match series. In addition, George Mason will try to beat its second nationally team in the last two weeks as it plays host to No. 11 Ohio State.
Check out the nation’s top college men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight.
No. 4 BYU (13-4, 10-3 MPSF) vs. Stanford (7-11, 4-8 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Palo Alto, California
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
What to know: Stanford less than 24 hours after pulling off the biggest upset of the season will now try to do it again. No. 4 BYU and Stanford will conclude their two-match weekend series after the Cardinal rallied from a one-game deficit to beat the Cougars in four games on Friday. This was the first time BYU lost to an unranked team since 2011. In addition, the loss dropped the Cougars from second to fourth place in the MPSF standings. Stanford All-American setter James Shaw in his return to the starting lineup from an injury had 41 assists and a season-high three aces. He also guided Stanford’s offense to out-hit BYU .246 to .183, including having more than a .300 attack percentage in the fourth game. With the victory, the Cardinal are in ninth place in the MPSF and one-and-half matches behind No. 9 UCLA for the eighth place and the final berth in the conference tournament. BYU freshman outside attacker Brenden Sander in the loss finished with a match-high 12 kills. In addition, middle attacker Michael Hatch, a 2014 finalist for the Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. National Blocker of the Year, led all players with seven blocks.
No. 11 Ohio State (12-4, 6-2 MIVA) vs. George Mason (5-8, 2-2 MIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Fairfax, Virginia
Follow live: Live stats, In-match tweets
What to know: George Mason will attempt to achieve a feat it hasn’t accomplished in six years — beat No. 11 Ohio State. The Patriots enter their home non-conference match on an 11-match losing streak to the Buckeyes dating back to 2009, including a four-game loss earlier this season. George Mason, though, is coming off an upset victory against Princeton last weekend and is on a three-match winning streak. Outside attacker Paco Velez also was named the National Player of the Week after having a season-high 21 kills and four aces in the victory against Princeton. Ohio State last weekend split a two-match conference road series against Grand Canyon. In addition, the Buckeyes are 2-2 entering the final match of their season-high five-match road trip. Freshman outside attacker Nicolas Szerszen is also in the conference’s top 10 with both a 3.29 kills per game average and .324 attack percentage. Szerszen in the first meeting against George Mason finished with a season-high 20 kills.
No. 12 Ball State (9-8, 4-3 MIVA) vs. UC San Diego (2-16, 0-14 MIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in San Diego
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
What to know: Don’t let the records of both these teams be deceiving. The non-conference match between No. 12 Ball State and UC San Diego could have an effect on the at-large teams selected to the NCAA Tournament on Selection Saturday. With three non-conference matches remaining between the two conferences, the MIVA is a combined 6-10 against the MPSF so far this season. A Ball State win, though, could help the MIVA move closer to getting the highest conference RPI ranking for the third consecutive season. This is the first season that team RPI ranking will be part of the criteria used by the NCAA Tournament selection committee. While the first RPI won’t be released until March 23, both No. 1 Loyola and No. 2 Lewis are currently projected by Off the Block’s bracketology to be in contention for an at-large if either loses in the conference tournament. Ball State enters this match having lost the first three matches of its West Coast road trip, including a three-game loss to No. 3 UC Irvine on Friday. UC San Diego is on a three-match losing streak but earlier this season in non-conference play beat Grand Canyon in five games. In addition, the Tritons have won their last three matches against MIVA teams dating back to 2013.
Barton (8-11, 7-6 CC) vs. Concordia-Irvine
Match vitals: 11 a.m. in Phoenix, Arizona
Follow live: Live stats
Coker (1-12) vs. Holy Names (1-7)
Match vitals: 3 p.m. in Hartsville, South Carolina
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
Sacred Heart (4-8, 1-4 EIVA) vs. Emmanuel (2-10, 1-10 CC)
Match vitals: 3 p.m. in Hartsville, South Carolina
Follow live: In-match tweets
Lindenwood (4-6, 2-5 MIVA) vs. Mount St. Joseph
Match vitals: 2 p.m. in St. Charles, Missouri
Follow live: Live stats
Grand Canyon (10-7, 3-5 MIVA) vs. Barton (8-11, 7-8 CC)
Match vitals: 2 p.m. in Phoenix, Arizona
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
Sacred Heart (4-8, 1-4 EIVA) vs. Coker (1-12)
Match vitals: 5:30 p.m. in Hartsville, South Carolina
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
Holy Names (1-7) vs. Marymount
Match vitals: 5:30 p.m. in Hartsville, South Carolina
Follow live: In-match tweets
Princeton (9-5, 3-1 EIVA) vs. NJIT (7-6, 0-4 EIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Princeton, New Jersey
Follow live: Live stats, In-match tweets
Belmont Abbey (6-6, 4-4 CC) vs. McKendree (6-12, 1-9 MIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Belmont, North Carolina
Follow live: Online video, In-match tweets
North Greenville (7-11, 2-8 CC) vs. Alderson Broaddus (10-3)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Tigerville, South Carolina
Follow live: Live stats, In-match tweets
Emmanuel (2-10, 1-10 CC) vs. Marymount
Match vitals: 7:30 p.m. in Hartsville, South Carolina
Follow live: In-match tweets