WHEN: February 22, 2018 and February 24, 2018
WHERE: Recreation Athletic Complex
OPPONENTS: Penn State – Friday at 7 p.m.; Saint Francis (Pa.) – Sunday at 3 p.m.
LIVE STREAM: Penn State | Saint Francis
LIVE STATS: Penn State | Saint Francis
PENN STATE MATCH: Please plan on showing up early since long lines at the entrance to the RAC gym are expected. All attendees for Saturday night's match will be subject to bag check.
 
FAIRFAX, Va. – No. 13 George Mason men's volleyball returns to the Recreation Athletic Complex for a pair of matches against EIVA opponents this weekend. On Friday, the Patriots will host rival Penn State with first serve schedule for 7 p.m. at the RAC. Fans are encouraged to arrive early since long lines at the entrance to the gym are expected.
 
The Patriots wrap up the weekend with a Sunday afternoon matchup with Saint Francis (Pa.), set for 3 p.m. at the RAC. 
 
LAST TIME OUT
Mason swept NJIT on Feb. 15 for its sixth straight-set victory this season. The following night, Mason suffered its first conference loss to Princeton in four sets. Mason dropped to 9-3 overall and 3-1 in EIVA play. 
 
STAYING PUT AT #13
The Patriots checked in at No. 13 in this week's edition of the AVCA DI-DII Coaches Poll. This is the fourth consecutive week Mason sits at #13 in the nation. EIVA opponents Princeton and Penn State each received three votes in the poll.   
 
CALAMAN HONORED
Senior libero Will Calaman earned EIVA Defensive Player of the Week, announced on Monday. Calaman registered 21 total digs in a pair of matches to average 3.00 digs per set. He currently leads the EIVA in digs per set with 2.16. 
 
WAGNER LEADS NATION
Junior Hayden Wagner continues to lead the nation in points per set (5.47) while ranking third in kills per set (4.49). The opposite hitter has registered 11-straight matches with double figure kills. He also leads the EIVA in total kills (193), total blocks (46) and solo blocks (10). 
 
ALUMNI WEEKEND
Mason men's volleyball welcomes alumni of the program to the RAC this weekend. In addition, the university will celebrate Homecoming Week. For the full Homecoming athletic calendar, click here.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Penn State: 6-6, 3-0 EIVA
Penn State currently sits tied for first place in EIVA standings with a perfect 3-0 conference record. The Nittany Lions most recently picked up sweeps over Harvard and Sacred Heart to improve to 6-6 overall. 
 
A storied rivalry between the two programs, Penn State leads the all-times series, 106-15, dating back to 1977. Since head coach Jay Hosack made the move from Penn State to Mason, the Patriots have won two of the six matchups. 
 
Last season, the Patriots earned an historic straight-set victory over the Nittany Lions in Happy Valley – the first sweep at Penn State since April 20, 1985. In the second meeting of 2018, the Patriots fell in a five-set thriller in Fairfax, Va.
 
Mason is looking for its first home win over Penn State since April 16, 2016. 
 
Saint Francis: 7-6, 1-2 EIVA
Saint Francis went 1-1 last weekend with a sweep over Sacred Heart and a four-set loss to Harvard, dropping the Red Flash to 1-2 in conference play. The Red Flash will travel to Charleston (W.Va.) on Friday night before their arrival to Fairfax, Va., on Sunday. 
 
It will be a battle between two of the nation's top hitters on Sunday afternoon with Hayden Wagner and Saint Francis outside hitter Michael Fisher meeting for the first time this season. Fisher leads the nation in kills per set (4.68) and sits third in points per set (5.30). 
 
Mason leads the all-time series, 39-15. The Patriots defeated the Red Flash in both meetings last season, only dropping one set.