The No. 10 Penn State men's volleyball team takes a trip into Newark, New Jersey this weekend for a pair of match-ups with EIVA cellar dwellers.
NJIT and Rutgers-Newark come into this weekend's play with combined records of 6-29 and 4-11 in EIVA play. Springfield College at 0-11 in EIVA action is the lone team in the EIVA Tait with a worse record than NJIT (2-13, 1-7) and the Scarlet Raiders (4-16, 3-4).
Earlier this season the Nittany Lions (15-5, 8-0) defeated both NJIT and Rutgers-Newark in three-game sweeps on back-to-back nights. The Lions will look to duplicate that feat, but this time on the road.
The February match-up with NJIT went off without a hitch for the Lions who would beat NJIT by seven or more each game. The Highlanders hit just .134 for the match, and go-to guy senior Fernando Fuentes was held to -. 038.
"I think everybody improves at this time of year," Penn State men's volleyball coach Mark Pavlik. "I'd like for us, though, to have improved more than they have."
Rutgers-Newark despite being swept by the Lions in their February match kept it close for the most part.
Two points decided two of the three games played, as junior Danko Iordanov had 16 kills on 28 attempts.
Junior Jeremy Desiron also had a big night with 11 kills on 12 attempts for a hitting percentage of .917. But, Desiron has injured a shoulder since and has not played in over a month.
"Their passing is better now that (Ryan) Burrow has returned," Pavlik said. "We have to serve tough, and with our offense keep them on their heels. I think with Desiron out, that when (Jeremy) Hoff looks to hit he will see two or three people in front of him."
The Lions look to ride the hot hands of junior Jose Quinones and sophomore Carlos Guerra. Guerra is fresh off a 23-kill performance against Loyola (Ill.).
"We all try to go out there and have fun," Guerra said. "Last night we played like that because we were having fun and making things happen. When you have fun, you don't make mistakes."
Quinones also had a big match against Loyola (Ill.) with 52 assists and directing the 3-0 sweep of the Ramblers.
NJIT and Rutgers-Newark have been down and out all season, but teams down and out like to make their entire seasons by beating teams like the Lions. The Highlanders and Scarlet Raiders are teams with nothing to lose, they are eager to hit that big bull's eye on the Lion's back.
"The team has a very competitive attitude right now," Quinones said.
"We are having more fun and we are very loose right now. Our intensity and desire will be no problem."
