After squandering a two-game lead in Saturday's contest against Cal-State Northridge, the men's volleyball team faced a turning point. Tied at 2-2 entering the fifth and decisive game, the Nittany Lions were in a position they knew all too well.

However, demonstrating signs of maturity, the Lions gathered their composure and captured the final game to win their second match in a row. The 2-0 weekend performance at the Hall of Fame Classic has given birth to a new sense of conifdence and team unity.

Against the University of Manitoba tonight in Coatsville, the confident Nittany Lions (5-5) aim to extend their winning streak to three matches and eclipse the .500 mark for the first time in over two weeks.

"The team stuck together through it all," Assistant Coach Mark Pavlik said. "When they lost the third and fourth games against Northridge, our guys could have easily fallen into six individuals with each one wanting to get it back, but they stuck together and played as a team in the fifth game."

Manitoba, the reigning Canadian national champion, plays a straightforward power game. It was power, not finesse, that gave the school last year's Canadian Championship.

In the Hall of Fame Classic, Manitoba struggled in its first-round loss to Cal-State Northridge. Rebounding from the defeat, the Bisons dominated the consolation game against Springfield College.

"They are real good at making adjustments," Pavlik said. "They are a real good blocking team with a great coach who has a real good feel of what is going on in the game. They have pretty solid blocking, scrappy defense, and they find ways to keep the ball off the floor."

In the series, which dates back to 1986, Penn State holds a 3-1 lead. In a December preseason tournament in Manitoba, the Lions split two matches with the Bisons.

The key to the Lions' success this past weekend was the team's crisp and accurate passsing. As in tonight's game, the quality of passing could make or break the team's postseason success. To improve their skills, the team members have spent up to four hours a day on passing.

-- Following tonight's contest, Penn State returns home to host No. 2 Pepperdine Thursday night in Rec Hall. The Lions are in the midst of six matches in 10 days. After facing Pepperdine, the Lions hit the road again, this time destined for the Buffalo Classic in New York.