One of two things will happen tonight: The Penn State men's volleyball team will make it happen or they won't. It's as simple as that.

It will either step up and right the ship in a mere two hour span of time, or it will continue to plod its way through a difficult schedule with a large cloud of uncertainty hanging overhead.

The No. 12 Nittany Lions (1-4, 1-0 EIVA) are coming off of four straight losses for the first time since 2000 -- albeit against some of the nation's best competition -- and are in need of a catalyst to push their season forward.

Last week, the team suffered three losses in as many days in Hawaii at the Outrigger Invitational Tournament. The Lions were swept in two of the three losses. The Saturday before the Outrigger, Penn State was swept by a then-lower ranked Ball State team.

Tonight's match vs. NYU will act as either a bright spot around which the season will pivot, or it will perpetuate the negative buzz that has made itself at home in the Lions' locker room.

The Violets (2-1, 0-1) are not on par with the UCLAs or Hawaiis of the world, but if the Lions sweep them tonight -- and by a convincing margin in each game -- the season will begin to come around in a positive fashion.

This weekend the stage is set for the Lions to step up and really shine. Many former Penn State volleyball players will be in town, since tomorrow is the Alumni Game. With ex-compatriots cheering them on from the stands, Penn State has the opportunity to feed off of the energy brought by what should be a large crowd.

Physically, the Lions are on a plane with any team in the nation, as is evident in a recent performance vs. No. 8 Ohio State.

The Lions lost to the Buckeyes (7-1) in a two-hour, 42-minute epic at the Outrigger, 3-2. They were solid throughout, dropping Game 5 by only two points. Penn State hit .317 on the match, an approximate hitting level that the coaching staff has been aiming for all season. It was one of the first times all year that the Lions were able to put together a complete game, bringing a level head to compliment their athleticism.

The mental approach to the game has been the team's weak link all season. And everyone on the team knows it.

Penn State assistant coach Dennis Hohenshelt even made a point of emphasizing it in yesterday morning's post-practice speech. "The mental part of the game is no good," he said.

If the Lions let NYU stick around, or even win one game tonight, look out, because the road ahead isn't pretty.

Next week, Penn State faces EIVA rival Juniata at home on Friday, followed by a visit from No. 1 Long Beach State on Saturday. Following that clash, the Lions take on Ohio State and Stanford on Feb. 10 and 11, respectively.

With a solid performance tonight, look for Penn State to have a bright future and maybe even an upset of Long Beach State or Ohio State. If the Lions come up with anything less then dominance, turn out the lights.