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The oldest conference tournament in college volleyball will get underway tonight with three quarterfinal matches.
No. 10 Ohio State and Ball State renewing their rivalry highlights the slate of MIVA Tournament quarterfinal matches. In addition, No. 15 IPFW will try to get coach Arnie Ball one more home victory as it plays host to Lindenwood.
Check out the postseason college men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight.
MIVA TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINALS
No. 3 seed Ohio State (21-8, 11-5 MIVA) vs. No. 6 seed Ball State (13-15, 6-10 MIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. Friday in Columbus, Ohio
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
Season series: Tied at 1-1
Last MIVA Tournament title: Ohio State (2011); Ball State (2002)
What to know: No college men’s volleyball teams have more postseason history against each than Ball State and Ohio State — its a rivalry stretching back a half-century. The Cardinals and Buckeyes on the 50-year anniversary of their first significant postseason meeting, the 1965 MIVA Tournament championship match, will open the conference tournament this season. Despite Ball State with its senior setter Mick Haley winning that 1965 championship, the Cardinals have struggled in the postseason against the Buckeyes in recent years. Ohio State is on a nine-match postseason winning streak versus Ball State dating back to the 1990s. In addition, all-conference outside attacker Miles Johnson had a team-high 10 kills as Ohio State swept Ball State in their most recent regular season meeting earlier this month. Johnson was one of three Buckeyes to selected Thursday to the All-MIVA Team. Outside attacker Nicolas Szerszen also was named the MIVA Freshman of the Year and was an Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. Freshmen All-American Team selection after leading all freshmen in the nation with a 3.08 kills per game average. Ball State freshman middle attacker Matt Walsh is third in the nation with a 1.40 blocks per game average. In addition, Walsh was named a finalist for the Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. National Blocker of the Year and earned Freshmen All-American honors. Ball State won its regular season finale against McKendree to snap a six-match losing streak and needs a victory to avoid its first losing season since 1999.
No. 4 seed IPFW (18-11, 8-8 MIVA) vs. No. 5 Lindenwood (12-11, 7-9 MIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Fort Wayne, Indiana
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
Season series: IPFW leads 2-0
Last MIVA Tournament title: IPFW (2007); Lindenwood (never)
What to know: Win or lose this will likely be the final time Hall of Fame coach Arnie Ball will pace the sidelines on the court that is named in his honor. IPFW and the soon-to-be retired legendary coach will play host to Lindenwood in the conference tournament quarterfinals. The Mastodons swept both regular season matches against the Lions, including winning their final meeting without all-conference opposite Andrew Sellan. Sellan was third in the conference with a 3.80 kills per game average but suffered a season-ending injury with about a month left in the regular season. The Mastodons without Sellan went 2-3 in their final five regular season matches. Outside attacker Ramon Burgos, though, had a career-high 23 kills on a .541 attack percentage in a five-game victory against Grand Canyon on Saturday to close-out the regular season. Lindenwood enters attempting to win its first postseason match since joining the MIVA in 2013. First-Team All-MIVA opposite Colin Hackworth is second in the conference with a 3.87 kills per game average and has at least 13 kills and a .340 attack percentage in four of the Lions last five matches.
No. 2 seed Loyola (22-2, 14-2 MIVA) vs. No. 7 seed Quincy (13-14, 5-11 MIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Chicago
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
Season series: Loyola leads 2-0
Last MIVA Tournament title: Loyola (2014); Quincy (never)
EIVA REGULAR SEASON MATCHES
Princeton (11-11, 6-5 EIVA) vs. George Mason (12-12, 5-5 EIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Fairfax, Virginia
Follow live: Live stats, In-match tweets