The Penn State men's volleyball team looks to pick up where it left off against St. Francis last Tuesday when it travels to Illinois this weekend to complete matches two and three of a four-match road trip.

The Nittany Lions (17-2, 10-0 EIVA) will look to improve their all-time 3-2 record against Loyola (14-5, 7-3 MIVA) tomorrow at 8 p.m. in Alumni Gym. Tomorrow night at 8, the Lions will take on Lewis (14-7, 9-1 MIVA) for the second time this year and for the 12th time since 1994.

The current road swing has been Penn State's longest since its three-match trip one month ago. Though the Lions came away with three wins, this weekend's matches may not be as easy.

"It's going to be a tough weekend," senior setter Jose Quinones said. "We're on the road against good teams and they're going to be gunning for us. They have everything to win playing against us."

As the season winds down, Penn State may be winning, but Penn State men's volleyball coach Mark Pavlik wants to see the team pick up its intensity and take its game to a higher level down the stretch.

"I want to see this team decide that it doesn't matter how tough it is and that they're going to do it," Pavlik said. "We're getting better at it, but I'm not anywhere near where I'd like it to be right now."

After practice Wednesday, Pavlik told the team that they were capable of winning the NCAA championship, but that they have to "bring the heat up a little higher."

"If you want to be an NCAA champion, you're going to have to make the extra effort," he said.

Three years ago when the Lions last played Loyala and Lewis back-to-back, it was the start of a seven-match losing streak. After dropping the first two games of the match (7-15, 13-15), Penn State tried to mount a comeback, winning games three and four (15-11, 15-10). The Ramblers ran by the Lions, though, in the decisive fifth game, edging them out 16-14.

The next day, Penn State was still reeling from its loss to Loyola and was swept by Lewis (15-11, 15-8, 15-5).

Pavlik said he isn't worried about what happened three years ago, though he knows the team remembers.

"I think we go in and take care of business we're in good shape," Pavlik said. "But it's not going to be easy. We've got to be ready for someone who's going to answer our physical play with physical play of their own."

Pavlik is more concerned about the impact these matches have on NCAA seeding. If Loyola or Lewis were to come out as the winner of the MIVA and if one of those teams beat the Lions this weekend, Penn State could be seeded below them at the national championships.

"These matches are of great importance to us when it comes to the NCAA seeding," Pavlik said. "If we can take care of business there, then we could be guaranteed at the very least a third seed, possibly better, depending on who comes out of the west coast."

Lewis will be playing without offensive leader Gustavo Meyer.

The Flyers are 10-4 with Meyer in the lineup, but have gone just 4-3 without him.

Though the Lions won't have to contend with Meyer, they have to contain sophomore opposite Fabio Barreto.

Barreto was recognized as the MIVA Player of the Week after posting 17 kills, two aces and three digs during a three-game sweep of Loyola on Feb. 19.

He also tallyed 34 kills, seven digs and three aces during a win over Quincy on Feb. 22. Shutting Barreto down will be imperative for the Lions.