Follow
It’s weeks before the conference tournament begins but several matches tonight could have a significant effect on the postseason seeding.
No. 2 Lewis faces a must-win match to remain in sole possession of first place in the MIVA as it travels to play No. 11 Ohio State. In addition, No. 9 UC Santa Barbara and No. 10 UCLA will play each other with both teams needing a win to move a step closer to solidify a berth in the MPSF Tournament.
Check out the nation’s top college men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight.
No. 2 Lewis (15-1, 6-0 MIVA) vs. No. 11 Ohio State (13-4, 6-2 MIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Columbus, Ohio
Follow live: Live stats, In-match tweets
What to know: It doesn’t get any easier for No. 2 Lewis days after its biggest win of the season. Lewis following its upset victory against No. 1 Loyola earlier this week will continue its conference road trip as it travels to play No. 11 Ohio State. Opposite Eric Fitterer in the victory against the Ramblers had a career-high six aces, including back-to-back aces in the fourth-game overtime to end Loyola’s 40-match winning streak. In addition, Fitterer is one of the five Lewis and Ohio State players in the MIVA’s top 15 for aces. Ohio State freshman outside attacker Nicholas Szerszen leads the Buckeyes and is second in the conference with 28 aces, while opposite Miles Johnson is fourth in the MIVA with 26 aces. Szerszen was also named the MIVA Offensive Player of the Week on Tuesday after having a match-high 18 kills on a .516 attack percentage and five aces in a four-game road win against George Mason on Saturday. Lewis enters on a nation-best 13-match winning streak and must win to maintain sole possession of first place in the MIVA. In addition, Preseason All-American outside attacker Greg Petty has double-digit kills and at least a .300 attack percentage in the Flyers’ last four matches. Petty also finished with a season-high 21 kills to help Lewis beat Loyola.
No. 9 UC Santa Barbara (12-7, 8-7 MPSF) vs. No. 10 UCLA (10-7, 6-7 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Santa Barbara, California
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
What to know: No. 9 UC Santa Barbara will attempt to break its offensive slump as it plays host to one of the top blocking teams in the conference No. 10 UCLA. The Gauchos since having their five-match winning streak snapped have been held to less than .200 attack percentage in their last three matches. However, UC Santa Barbara swept UCLA and had a .315 attack percentage in their previous meeting in February. Outside attacker Kevin Donohue in that victory also had a match-high 17 kills. Dononhue is third in the conference with a 3.82 kills per game average. In addition, UC Santa Barbara enters the weekend holding opponents to a conference-best .199 attack percentage. UCLA is fourth in the conference with a 2.79 blocks per game average. Middle attacker Trent Kersten leads the Bruins and is among the MPSF leaders averaging 1.19 blocks per game, including having a team-high seven blocks in a five-game loss to No. 8 Long Beach State last weekend. UCLA outside attacker J.T. Hatch also was named the Off the Block National Freshman of the Week on Monday after having a combined 40 kills in the Bruins’ two matches last week.
No. 8 Long Beach State (10-8, 7-8 MPSF) vs. Harvard (8-5, 3-2 EIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Long Beach, California
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
What to know: Two of the top middle attackers in their conferences will be across the net from each other as No. 8 Long Beach State plays host to Harvard on the opening day of the Active Ankle Tournament. Long Beach State middle attacker Taylor Gregory enters the non-conference tournament second in the MPSF and among nation’s top five with a 1.33 blocks per game average, while Harvard middle attacker Caleb Zimmick is second in the EIVA averaging 1.20 blocks per game. Gregory, a 2013 Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. National Blocker of the Year finalist, also had a career-high 15 blocks to help Long Beach State sweep UC Santa Barbara last week for its first road victory against a top-10 nationally ranked team this season. The Crimson have won five of their last six matches before beginning their West Coast road trip. In addition, Zimmick had a season-high 11 kills on a .500 attack percentage in a non-conference victory against the defending-NCAA Division III champions Springfield on Wednesday. This will be the first meeting between Long Beach State and Harvard since the 49ers beat the Crimson in the UC Santa Barbara Invitational championship match last season.
Coker (4-13) vs. Charleston (3-16)
Match vitals: 11 a.m. in Charleston, West Virginia
Follow live: Live stats, Online video
Belmont Abbey (6-8, 4-4 CC) vs. Coker (4-13)
Match vitals: 1:30 p.m. in Charleston, West Virginia
Follow live: In-match tweets
Belmont Abbey (6-8, 4-4 CC) vs. Charleston (3-16)
Match vitals: 4 p.m. in Charleston, West Virginia
Follow live: Live stats, In-match tweets
Sacred Heart (8-8, 1-4 EIVA) vs. Barton (9-12, 7-6 EIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Fairfield, Connecticut
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
Mount Olive (7-7, 7-5 CC) vs. Alderson Broaddus (11-3)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Philippi, West Virginia
Follow live: Online video, In-match tweets
No. 12 Ball State (10-8, 4-3 MIVA) vs. Grand Canyon (11-7, 3-5 MIVA)
Match vitals: 7:30 p.m. in Muncie, Indiana
Follow live: Live stats, Radio feed, In-match tweets
No. 13 Stanford (8-11, 5-8 MPSF) vs. UC San Diego (2-17, 0-14 MPSF)
Match vitals: 5 p.m. in Palo Alto, California
Follow live: Online video, In-match tweets
No. 15 Penn State (7-9, 4-0 EIVA) vs. Cal State Northridge (5-12, 3-10 MPSF)
Match vitals: 5 p.m. in Long Beach, California
Follow live: Live stats, In-match tweets
No. 4 Hawai’i (15-3, 12-2 MPSF) vs. Hope International
Match vitals: 7 pm. in Honolulu
Follow live: Live stats, Radio feed, In-match tweets