Spikers dreaming of return to familiar place -- the Final Four

The NCAA Final Four is almost like a second home for the Penn State men's volleyball team. This year, the team wants to sweep past the others cluttering up the attic and bring home a national title.

But it may not be as easy to make it to the Final Four this year. Among other things, Penn State is facing one of the most difficult schedules it has seen in a while.

"I think this year is probably going to be one of the tougher years going back to '92 or '93," coach Mark Pavlik said. "We're just going to play a lot of top-ranked teams in hostile environments. This is a year when we're going to be involved with some brutal crowds."

The most brutal crowd will most likely be found at Princeton. Penn State beat the Tigers last year to clinch the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) title. Penn State knows Princeton is likely to make it to the Eastern Championship again this year, and the team is ready and willing to grudge it out in defense of its title.

"They think they can beat us, but we see it differently," setter Dan Pollock said. "We're the eastern champions right now and they want to take it away from us. They have to come and get it because we're not going to give it to them that easily."

Penn State also lost swing hitter Jason Kepner, a second-team All-American.

The absence of these key players leaves a void on the line, but Pavlik is counting on a joint effort from strong players like Pollock, middle blocker Brad Miller and swing hitter Toni Mazzullo.

"It's truly going to be a team effort," Pavlik said. "We're not going to have anyone who will just take over a match."

The team veterans will have the help of some newcomers. Swing hitter George Papadakis and outside hitter Steve Aird made their debuts in preseason games over the weekend. Both Papadakis and Aird are true freshmen.

Although their play is still a bit rough around the edges, the team is confident it will be able to smooth out its skills throughout the season.

"With time these guys will feel more confident in playing," said middle blocker Sergio Pampena. "We're looking for someone to step in and be ready to play when they're needed. Eventually they'll step in, and step out of the role of the second team."

They will need to step in sooner rather than later for the Lions to begin to jell as a whole.

"We need to work on team chemistry," Pampena said. "It's something that's built on every year. Right now we just don't have that, but just so long as we're ready by the end of the season."

And by the Final Four.