Maybe it was because this was the team's alumni weekend. Maybe it was the intimate atmosphere of the smaller south gym. Maybe it was because Loyola-Chicago was the only team to beat Penn State in a 26-game span last year.

Whatever it was, the No. 9 Penn State men's volleyball team came out with a different type of energy on Friday night en route to a three-game sweep of No. 15 Loyola (3-2), 30-28, 30-27, 30-27. Penn State (3-2, 2-0 EIVA) looked like a totally different team than the squad that took four games to beat St. Francis on Tuesday when Penn State men's volleyball coach Mark Pavlik described the team's play as unemotional.

"We brought an energy and a passion," Pavlik said, "and played well enough to get the crowd into it."

All three of the games were decided late, as the two teams played evenly before Penn State's leaders elevated their play to clinch the sweep. Game one went back and forth, as Penn State barely outhit Loyola, .297 to .262. The Lions found themselves down 27-28 before winning the final three points of the match behind kills from outside hitter Carlos Guerra and co-captain Zach Slenker.

With the crowd of 572 fans on their feet, the game ended on a Loyola hitting error. Guerra led Penn State in game one with eight of his 16 kills. Guerra, Slenker and the rest of the veterans looked focused and energetic from the outset, giving the Lions the early advantage.

"This was a big game for us," said Slenker, who led all players with 17 kills in the match. "We weren't happy with the way the starters played on Tuesday."

Loyola was able to match Penn State's energy in the second game, and looked to be in command late with a 25-22 lead. After a Penn State timeout, the Lions ripped off six straight points behind Loyola hitting errors and kills from Slenker, Guerra and opposite hitter Zeljko Koljesar.

Middle hitter Keith Kowal notched kills in two of the game's three final points to give Penn State the 30-27 win. Pavlik said the team played exceptionally well after the score reached the twenties, something Penn State did not do in its losses earlier this season against Hawaii and Ball State.

The match's final game was also close, but Penn State never relinquished the lead after going up 4-3.

The Lions outhit Loyola, .292 to .224 for the match, as co-captain Nate Matthews directed the offense with a match-high 46 kills. Libero Ricky Mattei led all players with 10 digs as Penn State reeled off its third straight win.

On Saturday, the current Penn State team took on alumni from teams dating back to 1972. The alumni weekend gave former players a chance to reunite and see the current team in action. John Moritz, who graduated in 1981, said he and teammate Ron Shayka try to come back every year.

"We have no other life," Moritz said. "Our families wish there were four or five of these weekends a year."

Shayka jokingly said that the alumni were able to scout the current team and thinks that the Lions are just as good as last year's Final Four team.