Friday, January 17
University Park, Pa.
7 p.m.
Purdue Fort Wayne
at
Penn State
IPFW Travels to No. 12 Penn State Friday, Saint Francis Saturday
1/16/2014 2:00:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
MATCH NOTES (.pdf)
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The 14th ranked IPFW men's volleyball team heads to Penn State on Friday for an AVCA Top 15 showdown against the 12th ranked Nittany Lions. Action is set to get underway at 7 p.m. EST. The Mastodons will follow that up with a match in Loretto, Pa. on Saturday against the Saint Francis Red Flash beginning at 7 p.m. EST.
Opponent: No. 12 Pen State Nittany Lions (1-2)
When: Friday, January 17, 2014 | 7 p.m. EST
Where: University Park, Pa. | Rec Hall (6,846)
All-Time Series: Penn State leads 41-14
Last Meeting: IPFW 3, Penn State 2 | Mar. 9, 2013 | Fort Wayne, Ind.
Live Stats: Penn State Gametracker Live Stats
Opponent: Saint Francis Red Flash (0-0)
When: Saturday, January 18, 2014 | 7 p.m. EST
Where: Loretto, Pa. | DeGol Arena
All-Time Series: IPFW leads 10-3
Last Meeting: IPFW 3, Saint Francis 1 | Jan. 20, 2012 | Fort Wayne, Ind.
Live Stats: Saint Francis Sidearm Live Stats
QUICK HITTERS
· IPFW climbed one spot to No. 14 in the AVCA Coaches Top 15 Poll this week
· Senior Eddie Rivera was named the MIVA Offensive Player of the Week
· IPFW leads the MIVA in kills per set (15.14), hitting percentage (.433), and assists per set (14.29)
· Penn State will open the season facing four straight ranked opponents (UCLA, Hawaii, Ohio State, IPFW)
· Saint Francis will host Ball State on Jan. 17 in their season opener before hosting IPFW on Jan. 18
· The Mastodons are 82-77 all-time against teams from the EIVA
SCOUTING THE NITTANY LIONS
Penn State, who were tabbed as the EIVA preseason favorites, opened their season in Honolulu, Hawaii at the 2014 Outrigger Invitational. The No. 11 Nittany Lions went 1-2 in the tournament with losses to No. 7 UCLA and No. 14 Hawaii, while picking up a win over No. 12 Ohio State in the finale.
2013 EIVA Co-Player of the Year Aaron Russell is tied for the team lead with Nick Goodell with 45 kills this season. Russell also paces the squad with six aces and ranks second with 20 digs.
SCOUTING THE RED FLASH
Saint Francis was selected fifth in the EIVA preseason poll after finishing 12-15 overall last season and 7-7 in conference play.
Returning to lead the Red Flash this season is 2013 First Team All-Conference selection Logan Patterson. Patterson led the team in kills (337) and aces (15), and was among the team leaders in digs (115) and blocks (57). Fellow senior Michael Krepp is also back. Krepp was the top setter for the Red Flash a season ago with 716 assists.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Penn State leads the all-time series 41-14 over IPFW. The Nittany Lions had won nine straight in the series until the Mastodons upset then-No. 10 ranked Penn State 3-2 on Mar. 9 last season in Fort Wayne. However, Penn State is 13-4 against the 'Dons all-time at home.
IPFW holds a 10-3 record all-time against the Red Flash. The Mastodons have victories in five of the last six matches, and have won four straight in the series, including a 3-1 win in the last meeting on Jan. 20, 2012 in Fort Wayne. IPFW is 5-1 all-time against the Red Flash in Loretto, Pa.
LAST TIME OUT
The IPFW men's volleyball team jumped out to an early lead in the first set of their home opener against Sacred Heart and never looked back, defeating the Pioneers in straight sets (25-18, 25-18, 25-20).
Eddie Rivera led the way for the Mastodons with a match-high 12 kills while Ramon Burgos and Bryan Saunders added nine apiece. Omar Rivera handed out 36 assists and Andrew Sellan registered three aces. Luis Bertran and Eddie Rivera scooped up six digs each to pace a defense that held Sacred Heart to a .125 hitting percentage for the match. Burgos and Elon Fyfield also added four block assists apiece.
AVCA NATIONAL POLL
For the second consecutive week, the Mastodons appeared in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Coaches Top 15 Poll, climbing one spot to No. 14 in the Week #2 edition.
RIVERA NAMED MIVA OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Senior Eddie Rivera was named the MIVA Offensive Player of the Week this past week. Rivera led IPFW with a match-high 12 kills in the team's 3-0 win over Sacred Heart while hitting .476. His 13.0 points were also a match-high.
TOUGH COMPETITION
The 2014 schedule features two of the four NCAA Final Four teams from last season, Loyola and Penn State. Three MIVA teams, in addition to IPFW, also appeared in the AVCA Week #2 Top 15 Poll. Loyola (Ill.) came in at No. 2 followed by Lewis and Ohio St. at No. 9 and No. 15. IPFW climbed one spot this week to No. 14.
ROAD WARRIORS
In addition to the tough competition IPFW will face in 2014, the Mastodons will be on the road for the majority of the first half of the season. Nine of the team's first 12 matches will be away from the Gates Sports Center, highlighted by a trip to University Park, Pa. on Jan. 17 where the 'Dons will hook up with perennial power Penn State.
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The 14th ranked IPFW men's volleyball team heads to Penn State on Friday for an AVCA Top 15 showdown against the 12th ranked Nittany Lions. Action is set to get underway at 7 p.m. EST. The Mastodons will follow that up with a match in Loretto, Pa. on Saturday against the Saint Francis Red Flash beginning at 7 p.m. EST.
Opponent: No. 12 Pen State Nittany Lions (1-2)
When: Friday, January 17, 2014 | 7 p.m. EST
Where: University Park, Pa. | Rec Hall (6,846)
All-Time Series: Penn State leads 41-14
Last Meeting: IPFW 3, Penn State 2 | Mar. 9, 2013 | Fort Wayne, Ind.
Live Stats: Penn State Gametracker Live Stats
Opponent: Saint Francis Red Flash (0-0)
When: Saturday, January 18, 2014 | 7 p.m. EST
Where: Loretto, Pa. | DeGol Arena
All-Time Series: IPFW leads 10-3
Last Meeting: IPFW 3, Saint Francis 1 | Jan. 20, 2012 | Fort Wayne, Ind.
Live Stats: Saint Francis Sidearm Live Stats
QUICK HITTERS
· IPFW climbed one spot to No. 14 in the AVCA Coaches Top 15 Poll this week
· Senior Eddie Rivera was named the MIVA Offensive Player of the Week
· IPFW leads the MIVA in kills per set (15.14), hitting percentage (.433), and assists per set (14.29)
· Penn State will open the season facing four straight ranked opponents (UCLA, Hawaii, Ohio State, IPFW)
· Saint Francis will host Ball State on Jan. 17 in their season opener before hosting IPFW on Jan. 18
· The Mastodons are 82-77 all-time against teams from the EIVA
SCOUTING THE NITTANY LIONS
Penn State, who were tabbed as the EIVA preseason favorites, opened their season in Honolulu, Hawaii at the 2014 Outrigger Invitational. The No. 11 Nittany Lions went 1-2 in the tournament with losses to No. 7 UCLA and No. 14 Hawaii, while picking up a win over No. 12 Ohio State in the finale.
2013 EIVA Co-Player of the Year Aaron Russell is tied for the team lead with Nick Goodell with 45 kills this season. Russell also paces the squad with six aces and ranks second with 20 digs.
SCOUTING THE RED FLASH
Saint Francis was selected fifth in the EIVA preseason poll after finishing 12-15 overall last season and 7-7 in conference play.
Returning to lead the Red Flash this season is 2013 First Team All-Conference selection Logan Patterson. Patterson led the team in kills (337) and aces (15), and was among the team leaders in digs (115) and blocks (57). Fellow senior Michael Krepp is also back. Krepp was the top setter for the Red Flash a season ago with 716 assists.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Penn State leads the all-time series 41-14 over IPFW. The Nittany Lions had won nine straight in the series until the Mastodons upset then-No. 10 ranked Penn State 3-2 on Mar. 9 last season in Fort Wayne. However, Penn State is 13-4 against the 'Dons all-time at home.
IPFW holds a 10-3 record all-time against the Red Flash. The Mastodons have victories in five of the last six matches, and have won four straight in the series, including a 3-1 win in the last meeting on Jan. 20, 2012 in Fort Wayne. IPFW is 5-1 all-time against the Red Flash in Loretto, Pa.
LAST TIME OUT
The IPFW men's volleyball team jumped out to an early lead in the first set of their home opener against Sacred Heart and never looked back, defeating the Pioneers in straight sets (25-18, 25-18, 25-20).
Eddie Rivera led the way for the Mastodons with a match-high 12 kills while Ramon Burgos and Bryan Saunders added nine apiece. Omar Rivera handed out 36 assists and Andrew Sellan registered three aces. Luis Bertran and Eddie Rivera scooped up six digs each to pace a defense that held Sacred Heart to a .125 hitting percentage for the match. Burgos and Elon Fyfield also added four block assists apiece.
AVCA NATIONAL POLL
For the second consecutive week, the Mastodons appeared in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Coaches Top 15 Poll, climbing one spot to No. 14 in the Week #2 edition.
RIVERA NAMED MIVA OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Senior Eddie Rivera was named the MIVA Offensive Player of the Week this past week. Rivera led IPFW with a match-high 12 kills in the team's 3-0 win over Sacred Heart while hitting .476. His 13.0 points were also a match-high.
TOUGH COMPETITION
The 2014 schedule features two of the four NCAA Final Four teams from last season, Loyola and Penn State. Three MIVA teams, in addition to IPFW, also appeared in the AVCA Week #2 Top 15 Poll. Loyola (Ill.) came in at No. 2 followed by Lewis and Ohio St. at No. 9 and No. 15. IPFW climbed one spot this week to No. 14.
ROAD WARRIORS
In addition to the tough competition IPFW will face in 2014, the Mastodons will be on the road for the majority of the first half of the season. Nine of the team's first 12 matches will be away from the Gates Sports Center, highlighted by a trip to University Park, Pa. on Jan. 17 where the 'Dons will hook up with perennial power Penn State.
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