The Springfield men’s volleyball team and Penn State University may well be contesting for the last time against each other today in the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association match
The Springfield men’s volleyball team and Penn State University have a long history together. The association is a frustrating one for the Pride whereas it probably has taken an amusing note for the Nittany Lions. Dating back to 1977, it has now been 32
years that the Pride has failed to defeat the Lions in any volleyball match. Springfield finds itself up against the Lions once more today at 5 p.m. at their home ground. With the added advantage of playing at home turf, it remains to be seen whether the Pride
can come out of the decade’s long hex put on them by Penn State.
So far this season, the eleventh ranked Lions have been able to bag a total number of 13 victories. Penn State has managed to do this after suffering a commendably low number of three losses. Their Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association statistics
also reflect a similar consistency in performance. The Lions have been able to secure wins that amount to six. Impressively, Penn State has suffered no defeat while achieving this feat. In contrast to this, the record that the Springfield team has been able
to put up this season overall turns pale in comparison with that of the Lions. Springfield has tallied seven wins at a high cost of losing 10 matches. If their EIVA statistics are looked at, then Springfield can only boost of one win, along with a four match
long losing tale.
Penn State is at the top of their game presently with their two well earned wins in the recent conference play matches. The first of the two matches took place with Saint Francis, whom the Lions were able to defeat by 3-1. The Lions were able to better themselves
in the latest match that they played against George Mason. Penn State handed out a defeat to the Masons after winning three back to back sets with relative ease.
The Lions are looking ahead to the upcoming match against the Pride with a positive attitude. Joe Sunder, who is the outside hitter for Penn State expressed his sentiments on the subject in the following manner: “We’re just gonna play the way we’ve been
playing. They don’t have anything to lose so they’re trying to have their last hoorah like all the other teams [that are leaving the EIVA] will. It’s more of a test of playing each team at their best.”
It may well be the last time that both Springfield and Penn State contest each other. This is due to the fact that the Division III teams will no longer be a part of the EIVA from next season on. This change may well translate into no match between Penn
State and the Pride in the future. Therefore, Springfield will look to achieve a victory with exceptional zeal while Penn State to keep the decade long record to itself.
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