Since the sluggish start, the Lions have ripped off five consecutive wins against some of the nation's best competition and are starting to click. On the season, they are hitting .313 and are led by senior captains Matt Proper and Nate Meerstein.
"I expect a lot from them. I think they're gonna very good," Saint Francis men's volleyball coach Mike Rumbaugh said. "Proper's back on his game, Meers is on, too. They adjusted to not having [Gary] Vogel on serve-receive, they kinda figured out what they're doing. I think they're back. When they can pass, they can beat anybody."
Meerstein leads the team in hitting percentage (.514) and is second in total kills (107). The 6-foot-6 opposite hitter Proper is on top of the team in total kills (143) and is hitting at a .340 clip. Penn State has also received production from freshmen Matt Anderson, who is hitting .238 on 96 kills, and Max Holt, who has notched 51 kills while hitting .327.
"I've been more pleased at where things are with the passing," Pavlik said. "Our offense is starting to click, we're blocking balls and we're playing with some emotion -- some joy. And we've gotta do the same thing [tonight]."
The Red Flash are on a four-match win streak, but against lesser competition in the EIVA.
"Both teams are hot right now, but the level of play they're winning at and the level of play we're wining at is the big difference," Rumbaugh said.
The Lions, however, will be without senior setter Dan O'Dell this weekend, who has been suffering from knee soreness. Stepping in at setter will be sophomore Luke Murray. Before O'Dell asserted himself as the top man, he and Murray split time earlier in the season.
"We're reaching a point in the season when knees are starting to get a little bit tender, and shoulders," Pavlik said. "Especially in the men's game, you know, you've got 190 pounds, it's not the jumping, it's the landing. I want us to be as fresh as possible in late April or May. If we gotta give them some days off and let them recover, I think with the men it's real important to do that."
The Red Flash are not without issue at the setter position.
"We have a freshman setter, and I think it took him a while to get the ball fast and high to Marc [Honore] and figure out where he's at," Rumbaugh said.
Honore is the crown jewel of the Saint Francis team.
The first time the Red Flash met the Lions, Honore finished with 8 kills at a .438 percentage.
Last season, the 6-foot-6 junior middle hitter was named second-team All-EIVA.
Send an 
