Four points away.

Down two-games-to-one to UCLA and trailing 4-11 in the fourth game in only its second-ever national championship appearance, the Penn State men's volleyball team was just four points away from a shattered dream last year.

After losing its first match of the season against Brigham Young, the Bruins had ripped off 27 straight wins and seemed like a lock to win their second-straight NCAA title and 15th overall. More importantly, UCLA was on the verge of recapturing its volleyball dominance of the early eighties when it won four straight championships.

Instead of renewing a dynasty, the Bruins were overthrown. The Nittany Lions came back to shock UCLA (9-15, 15-13, 4-15, 15-12, 15-12) in what has been dubbed by many as "the greatest upset in the history of men's volleyball."

So it seems only natural that when preseason No. 4 Penn State takes on No. 1 UCLA at 10 p.m. EST today in the Hawaii Collegiate Classic, a little more than a volleyball match is at stake.

"I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a revenge factor," said Bruin Jeff Nygaard, the 1994 American Volleyball Coaches Association Player of the Year, who will move back to middle blocker after a year at opposite.

"I think we took something for granted last year," he added. "We went into (the tournament) thinking we would roll over certain teams, and going into that match against Penn State we were completely blind."

In addition to Nygaard, the Bruins have a core of returning starters they can rely on, including one of the nation's top setters in Stein Metzger and outside hitter Erik Sullivan, who heaved the second-place trophy into the bleachers a year ago.

"I guess we're not real good losers, but I don't recruit for that," UCLA Coach Al Scates said of Sullivan's outburst.

Scates must be doing something right. In his 32 seasons as head coach, he has won 14 NCAA titles in 17 appearances and is the all-time winningest coach in volleyball history (837 wins entering this season).

"Our goal is still the same as it was last year -- to win the national championship," Scates added. "We just have to rededicate ourselves and work a little harder."

While the Bruins may be salivating over the chance for redemption, Lion Coach Mark Pavlik is downplaying the "must-win" attitude. He is seeking an indication of how his team will fare against the western powerhouses.

"It's something I think any team wants to do -- start off the season playing the best competition out there and get a real good read for where you're at," Pavlik said.

The interim coach said he will be relying on junior setter Carlos Ortiz to put the ball into the hands of senior opposite Ed Josefoski. In addition to Josefoski, Pavlik said he will use two middle blockers -- sophomore Ivan Contreras and junior Kevin Hourican -- for the high percentage shots.

But the key to the match may lie on younger players like freshman David Gealy and sophomore Jason Kepner. They must fill the void left by the graduation of outside hitters Byron Schneider and All-American Ramon Hernandez.

Depending on the results of the match today, the Nittany Lions will play either Loyola Marymount or Hawaii tomorrow.