The No. 10 Penn State men's volleyball team has a pair of crucial matches this weekend.

Tonight, the Lions (19-5, 11-0 EIVA) take on No. 11 Lewis at 7:30 in Rec Hall on senior night. Senior Steve Aird, the Lions lone senior, will be honored.

Lewis (20-5, 14-1 MIVA) comes into tonight's match-up red-hot riding a four game win streak including a 3-0 sweep of No. 14 Ohio State. The Flyers are led by freshman Fabiano Barreto who averages over 5 kills a game. Barreto was the AVCA/Sports Imports National Player of the Week earlier this year.

"I expect a war," Penn State men's volleyball coach Mark Pavlik said. "They are a good team with a very good setter, opposite, outside hitter, and middle. This will probably be the very best match played in this gym all year."

The Lions travel to Concordia on Saturday for a 7:30 p.m. match that has EIVA implications as the Clippers (17-7, 10-1 EIVA) trail the Lions by just one game. The Lions handed Concordia their only EIVA loss earlier this season 3-1.

"I think it is getting to be a pretty good rivalry," Pavlik said. "Emotions got going last time, and in their gym it is going to be real noisy. This match is going to be a fun match to play."

The last time the Lions and Clippers squared off, junior John Mills and junior Alvaro Velasco got into a verbal confrontation and both were issued yellow cards.

"We want to prove ourselves against them again, and show them to respect us," Mills said. "It's going to be a fun battle."

Sophomore Ashraf Taman led the Clippers in their first outing against the Lions. Taman had six digs and 18 kills hitting .517 for the match. The key to stopping Concordia could be to shut Taman down, as the rest of the Clippers hit just .136 against the Lions last time.

"I don't think you can totally stop someone like him," Pavlik said. "You can touch him on the block, or dig him. We know he is going to get a lot of sets so we need to get a solid block in front and make him work for kills."

In their first meeting the Lions hit just .181 outside of the first game where they hit .818. Inconsistent play is one thing the Lions want to avoid at this point in the season as they go into the EIVA tournament.

"I think we need to pass better," sophomore Zach Slenker said. "Plus now it is later in the season and we are hitting the court with more of our shots."

After this weekend the Lions have just two more matches before the EIVA tournament kicks off. This weekend could be a preview of the final of the EIVA tournament as Concordia and the Lions have separated themselves from the rest of the pack.

"This is a defining moment in our season," Mills said. "We can make a huge statement and take away their confidence going into the playoffs."