For the first time since its first-round exit from the NCAA Final Four, the Penn State men's volleyball team will take the court to begin its long journey back to the Final Four.

The Lions, unbeaten in the EIVA conference last season, could not face a better test than Pepperdine, whichwas vying for its fifth national championship before it was knocked off by Hawaii in the title match.

The matches against Pepperdine will allow Penn State head coach Mark Pavlik to gain an honest assessment of areas that the Lions are going to have to think about before the start of the regular season in January.

"I think that's what you want in a preseason--you want to ask a lot of questions and you want to try to develop a lot of answers," he said.

The Lions' regular season looks to be even more daunting as they travel to Hawaii, BYU and Long Beach State for non-conference tournaments.

"We wanted to get a little bit more competition on the road, tougher places, and more hostile environments to play in," Pavlik said.

-- By Thomas Bassinger