The men's volleyball team hopes to put the nooses away and end the current choking streak afflicting Penn State sports when it heads out west for the NCAA Final Four.
The No. 10 Lions will head out to UCLA to compete as the Eastern representative in the Final Four on May 7-8. This will mark the Lions' ninth appearance at the NCAA Championship.
The Lions have been predicting and expecting this trip all season. Now that it is finally here, the team is devoting all attention to its physical and mental preparedness.
"Individually, everybody has to be ready and focused before every single match. Nobody else can prepare you to play your best game. You just have to prepare yourself," EIVA Tournament MVP David Muir said.
The Lions believe this has been a successful area for them this season. Before every match, the entire team is ready to get going.
One reason the team is always so mentally prepared is its cohesion. The attitude on and off the court all season has been one of determination, perseverance and enjoyment, and this is only possible because all of the players get along so well.
Nine of the Lions have been living together in the same house all season. For the past few years, this house has come to be known as "Volleyball House" because the players always seem to live there.
While most people could not handle living with the same people that they practice with, the volleyball players believe this brings them closer together.
"This year we have the highest team cohesion compared to the other years," senior Ricky Roper said. "Most of us have been playing together in practice for three years. We all know each other and we all know our habits and that's one of the most important things in volleyball."
The Lions are not expecting to start out strong in the first match. Against George Mason in the EIVA final, the Lions fell behind early, 8-3, before rekindling their fire and rolling to a three-game win.
"I hope we come out strong, but if not, we are all prepared for it," Roper said.
The coaches and players know to expect the matches out west will be longer than the Lions are used to. The team's practices this week have been longer than usual to prepare the team for the longer matches they will most likely be involved in.
For the first time since 1985, the Lions did not play a California team during the regular season. This fact could both help and hurt the Lions when they travel to California.
"They don't know us and we are a very good team. We have a fast, sophisticated offense that will help us out there," Peterson said. "Of course, there is the other side of it is that they are playing in tough matches against each other every weekend. We have to make sure that we are tested in practice so we can go long with them."
Notes:
-- UCLA secured the top-seed in the Final Four with a win over Stanford Wednesday night. The second seed will be determined by a four-team tournament to take place today and tomorrow. The Lions, who are seeded third, will play either Pepperdine, Cal St.-Northridge, Long Beach State or Stanford. MIVA Champion Ohio State is the fourth seed.
-- The Lions ninth appearance at the NCAA Championship, putting them in first place with most appearances since 1981 (USC has 8). They have placed second once (1982), third five times (1981, 1986, 1987, 1989 and 1992) and fourth twice (1983 and 1991).
