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There are plenty of compelling matches this weekend across all levels of college men’s volleyball.
Check out the Off the Block National Matches of the Weekend for the Big West, MPSF, MIVA, EIVA, ConfCarolinas, and NCAA Division III men’s volleyball.
Big West Match of the Weekend
No. 1/1 Hawai’i (23-0, 6-0 Big West) vs. No 3/3 UC Santa Barbara (17-5, 4-2 Big West)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday in Manoa, Hawai’i
Follow live: Live stats, In-Match Tweets, Live video, Live Radio
What makes this match so big: No. 1 faces No. 3 as top-ranked Hawai’i hosts UC Santa Barbara to begin a two match set in Manoa with Big West tournament seeding still yet to be decided. The Rainbow Warriors have yet to drop a set this season, and with four matches left in the regular season, they have emerged as the favorites to win the Big West championship. All-American setter Joe Worsley leads the offense that is attacking at an astounding .478 clip on the season. Worsley is averaging 11.56 assists per set, while also racking up 18 service aces. His quarterbacking the offense has led to every Hawai’i starter is hitting at least .426 on the year. UC Santa Barbara has been a consistently strong team all season, led by Outside Attacker Corey Chavers who has collected 298 kills, good for 3.55 per set. The offense is more than just Chavers, as Outside Attacker Ryan Wilcox is averaging 2.49 kills per set. The Gauchos’ defense has held opposing teams to a .243 hitting efficiency with Libero Hayden Boehle averaging 2.49 digs per set.
Hawai’i player to watch: Opposite Hitter Rado Parapunov has been a break out star for Hawai’i this season, as he leads the team with 261 kills (4.28 per set). Parapunov is hitting .493 on the season and leads the team with 31 service aces.
UC Santa Barbara player to watch: While opponents are focused on Chavers and Wilcox, Middle Hitter Brandon Hicks should each get consideration for Big West Freshman of the Year as he is hitting .448 while averaging 1.06 blocks per set to lead the team
MPSF Match of the Weekend
No. 5/5 UCLA (18-7) vs. No. 6/7 USC (15-9, 6-5)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. on Saturday in Los Angeles, California
Follow live: Live stats, In-Match tweets, Live Video (Pac-12 Network)
What makes this match so big: Do we even need to explain the history these two programs have? We can probably start and stop with the fact that UCLA has 19 NCAA titles, while the Trojans have four. The Trojans came into last year’s rematch 2-7 in conference, while the Bruins came in 7-2. There are a couple of similarities between last year’s rematch and this year’s rematch – both matches were/are on USC’s senior night, both televised on Pac-12 Networks, and both matches were/are at Galen Center. The Trojans upset the Bruins in #CincoSets in front 1,000 fans. It was a pretty even match statistically, but the Trojans prevailed in the fifth game where they hit. 312 to UCLA’s .100. UCLA opposite Christian Hessenauer led all players with 22 kills, while the Trojans were paced with Gianluca Grasso’s 20 kils and Jack Wyett’s 18 killls. The Bruins rank in the top-ten nationall with 1.71 aces/game, 12.20 assists/game, a 0.326 attack percentage, and 12.90 kills/game. The Trojans also rank in the top-ten nationally with 11.96 assists/game, a 0.323 attack percentage, and 12.87 kills/game. A story line that will be of interest to those watching the game is the service game. At times, UCLA has been plagued by their inability to get their serve in bounds. The Bruins have tallied over 25 service errors in eight of their 25 matches this year. In their win versus Concordia-Irvine on Thursday, the Bruins had a season low 14 service errors. The Trojans on the other hand had 15 service errors versus zero aces in their loss at Pepperdine on Thursday.
UCLA player to watch: If you don’t know that we are going to say Micah Ma’a is UCLA’s player to watch, then you probably haven’t been watching NCAA men’s volleyball. Ma’a is the only player to have recorded a triple-double this season (double-digit totals in assists, kills, and blocks at BYU earlier this year.) Ma’a is second in the nation with 0.613 aces/game and is now UCLA’s all time leader in career aces. Ma’a also leads the team with 8.81 assists/game and 1.99 digs/game. His versatility as either being able to be used as a outside hitter or a setter cannot be understated to the Bruins who have been hit by injury.
USC player to watch: All three starting pin hitters for USC are seniors for the Trojans, but the most consistent player has been opposite Ryan Moss. He has been selected twice for Off the Block’s Opposite of the Week Award as well as MPSF Offensive Player of the Week after he amassed 45 kills and ten digs while attacking at an efficient .513 clip.
MIVA Match of the Weekend
No. 13 Purdue Fort Wayne (16-10, 8-5 MIVA) vs. McKendree (11-12, 6-7 MIVA)
Match vitals: 4 p.m. on Saturday in Lebanon, Illinois
Follow live: Live stats, In-Match Tweets, Live Video
What makes this match so big: It all comes down to the final day of the regular season to determine if McKendree will achieve a program milestone. McKendree is tied for fourth place in the MIVA and can clinch a postseason home match for the first time in its program history if it beats No. 13 Purdue Fort Wayne in its regular season finale. The Bearcats had an opportunity on Thursday to secure the No. 4 seed for the MIVA Tournament and home court in the quarterfinals. However, Ball State overcame multiple match-points to win the fourth game and then won the decisive fifth game against McKendree. Purdue Fort Wayne has already clinched the No. 3 seed for the MIVA Tournament. In its only previous meeting this season, the Mastodons defeated the Bearcats in five games and hit a match-best .556 in the decisive game.
Purdue Fort Wayne player to watch: Outside attacker Pelegrin Vargas is third in the MIVA and in the nation’s top 15 with a 3.84 kills per game average on a .288 attack percentage. He also has double-digit kills in eight consecutive matches, including three matches with more than 20 kills.
McKendree player to watch: Middle attacker Wyatt Dimke had a season-high 15 kills on a .522 attack percentage in McKendree’s five-game loss to Ball State on Thursday. He also is in the top 10 of the MIVA averaging 0.98 blocks per game.
EIVA Match of the Weekend
No. 15 George Mason (14-7, 7-3) vs. Penn State (8-2, 12-12)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. on Saturday in University Park, Pennsylvania
Follow live: Live stats, In-match tweets, Live video
What makes this match so big: The Nittany Lions are all alone in second place in the EIVA standings at 8-2, one match ahead of both George Mason and Saint Francis. George Mason won the previous match between the two EIVA rivals in late February down in Virginia via a sweep. As long as the Patriots win this match, or lose in four games or five games, they would gain the tiebreaker if the two teams are tied at the end of the season. Even if Penn State was to pull off a sweep, George Mason would be in good shape to earn the head-to-head tiebreaker because they won that February contest by 16 points. The February contest was played in front of a sold-out crowd as part of their Alumni Weekend. The sweep of Penn State was the first sweep at home for the Patriots over the Nittany Lions since 1984. George Mason hit .349 as a team and led opposite Hayden Wagner’s 11 kills, eight digs, and five blocks. The Patriots lead the EIVA in almost all statistical categories, including 11.37 assists/game, 9.22 digs/game, 0.283 attack percentage, 12.21 kills/game, and a 0.226 opponent attack percentage. Statistically, Penn State ranks in the middle or at bottom of the conference in all statistical categories, but don’t be fooled as the Nittany Lions’ strength of schedule ranks No. 24 in the nation, while Patriots’ schedule is fifth worst in the nation.
George Mason player to watch: Opposite Hayden Wagner has been named EIVA Offensive Player of the Week four times this season already. He leads the team and ranks top-five nationally with 8.79 attacks/game, 4.30 kills/game, and 5.24 points/game.
Penn State player to watch: Jason Donorovich has won two EIVA Player of the Week honors himself – one for his offensive performance and one for defensive performance. He leads the Nittany Lions with 0.349 aces/game, 0.892 blocks/game, and a 0.384 attack percentage.
ConfCarolinas Match of the Weekend
Barton (20-3, 13-1 ConfCarolinas) vs. King (16-9, 12-2 ConfCarolinas)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. on Friday in Bristol, Tennessee
Follow live: Live stats, Live Video
What makes this match so big: If for no other reason, this match is one of the more juicier matches of the weekend because it was King who won the ConfCarolinas regular season and tournament No. 1 seed last year due to a tiebreaker. Barton, one of the hottest teams in the nation with 14 straight wins will look to keep its streak going as they face off against King in Tennessee. In their first meeting, the Bulldogs decisively swept the Tornados – 25-19, 25-14, 25-17 – and more than doubled King’s hitting percentage – .393 to .171. Three players from Barton logged double-digit kills, with Angelos Mandilaris leading the way with 13 kills. King, on the other hand, was led by Joshua Kim’s team high six kills. Barton, who has not loss since February 2 in five games to North Greenville, is attacking at a .342 clip while King comes in at .244. Defensively, King has the edge in blocking (2.64 to 2.06) and digs (9.52 to 8.72). Barton is led by Angelos and Vasilis Mandilaris, who are recording 4.47 and 3.38 kills per set respectively. Oscar Fiorentino is fourth in the nation with 10.63 assists per set. King Opposite Joshua Kim is averaging 2.59 kills/game on a .190 attack percentage. With a win, Barton would clinch the first seed in the ConfCarolinas tournament, while King would need to sweep Barton to keep their first seed hopes alive.
Barton player to watch: Opposite Angelos Mandilaris leads the Bulldogs with a .370 attack percentage, 4.47 kills/game, and 5.33 points/game. He is also the reigning back-to-back-to-back weekly ConfCarolinas player of the week.
King player to watch: Sophomore outside attacker Sean Kohlhase is averaging a .254 attack percentage, 3.35 kills/game, and 3.90 points/game.
Division III National Match of the Weekend
No. 5 Stevens (23-4, 8-1 UVC) vs. No. 6 Southern Virginia (21-2, 11-0 CVC)
Match vitals: 4:30 p.m. on Friday in Hoboken, New Jersey
Follow live: Live stats, Live video
What makes this match so big: Southern Virginia’s No. 6 ranking is their highest this season and highest ranking in their brief program history. The Knights have already secured the CVC regular season championship when defeated second-place Kean on March 30, so they host the conference tournament next weekend. Southern Virginia has won 18 of their last 19 matches, and in fact their only loses have come in #CincoSets matches. Stevens has already secured the No. 1 seed in the UVC tournament by virtue of defeating co-regular season champion, SUNY-New Paltz, on March 27 in #CincoSets. The Ducks have lost two of their last three, after winning their previous nine matches. The teams have played only once before – a match in Hoboken on April 8, 2017 – where Stevens won in four games. The Ducks dominated the Knights by outhitting them .380 to .158 and out-blocking them 12 to 7. Southern Virginia ranks second in the nation with 12.00 assists/game, second in the name with a 0.328 attack percentage, and third in the nation with 12.69 kills/game. Stevens ranks in the top-ten nationally with 11.91 attacks/game, a 0.292 attack percentage, and 12.67 kills/game.
Southern Virginia player to watch: Senior outside attacker Paul Clark leads the Knights with 0.433 aces/game, and a 0.376 attack percentage. He also ranks second on the team with 6.30 attacks/game, 1.83 digs/game, and 3.30 kills/game. Last weekend, Clark 30 kills and 16 digs.
Stevens player to watch: Junior opposite David Lehman leads the Ducks with 8.06 attacks/game, 4.11 kills/game, and 4.5 points/game. He also is second on the team with 0.629 blocks/game and a 0.319 attack percentage. In three matches last week, Lehman had 64 kills on 144 attempts, 17 digs, and 14 blocks.