For the next three days, the men's volleyball team will be in unfamiliar surroundings. It will be at home.

At 7:30 tonight in Rec Hall the Lions (9-9 overall, 3-2 in the EIVA) open a three-game homestand against Graceland, a club team from Iowa. The Midshipmen of Navy invade Happy Valley at 7:30 tomorrow night and the dreaded George Mason Patriots duke it out with the Lions at 7:30 Saturday night.

Coach Tom Peterson said Graceland "at times has been a very good team." So good, in fact, the team has played for the national club championship two out of the last three years.

The Lions needed four games to beat Navy in February, and tomorrow they are looking to show the Midshipmen an even harder time.

"We had a little trouble against them last time," setter Scott Miller said. "That was during our slump, and now we want to show them what we can do."

George Mason beat the Lions in five games the last time the teams played in one of their celebrated marathons. The Lions own a 2-1 record over the Patriots this season, and want to stop the rivals from evening the score.

"I'm looking forward to it only because they've beaten us once and I'm looking for revenge," co-captain John Wasielewski said.

"We have in our minds that it's a rivalry and so it's supposed to be hard (to play them)," Peterson said. "That mindset carries itself through the match. If we're playing our best we can beat George Mason."

The Lions played Rutgers-Newark in the Nittany Lion-Mizuno Invitational at home this season, and are looking forward to playing in front of the home crowd. They look to extend their home winning streak to 24 games tonight.

"It's easier to play here because of the home-court advantage," Peterson said. "Some of our trips have been pretty hairy. We'll go and have to get back at two in the morning. That's tough traveling for four or five hours."

"I think it's great (playing at home), and it's good to be in the area," Miller said. "I'm looking for us to continue to improve."

Peterson and the players think the team's slump is finally over.

"Last week we probably played the best ball since mid-January," Wasielewski said.

"Practices for the last week have been pretty intense," Peterson said. "We're playing pretty good and with more intensity. The guys are looking forward to playing right now, and it's kind of fun playing volleyball for them."