No. 13 Patriots Battle No. 8 Penn State for EIVA Title

Men's Volleyball 4/23/2021 3:00:00 PM

WHEN: Saturday, 7 p.m. ET
WHERE: University Park, Pa. | Rec Hall
RECORDS: Mason (15-6, 11-5 EIVA), Penn State (20-3, 16-2 EIVA)
WATCH: Big Ten Network+
LIVE STATS
2021 EIVA TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
DIGITAL PROGRAM (PDF)

FAIRFAX, Va. – The 13^th-ranked George Mason University men's volleyball team will battle No. 8 Penn State for the EIVA Championship on Saturday night.

The title match is slated for 7 p.m. ET inside Rec Hall. The championship match will be streamed via Big Ten Network+.

DÉJÀ VU?
The last time the Patriots were in the EIVA championship match was 2016, when Mason won the EIVA Championship over Saint Francis (Pa.).

Friday is the fifth year anniversary of the Patriots' EIVA title run, which they won inside Rec Hall the venue of this season's EIVA Championship.

The Green & Gold will be looking to win their fifth EIVA title on Saturday.

LAST TIME OUT
Mason defeated NJIT in straight sets (32-30, 25-15, 25-23) on Thursday night in the EIVA semifinals.

The Patriots' offense hit 40-16-89 (.270) on the day and held the Highlander offense to 38-20-99 (.182).

Senior Hayden Wagner earned a match-high 14 kills, including two assists, an ace, three digs and five total blocks.

SCOUTING PENN STATE
The first-seeded Nittany Lions are coming off of a three-set sweep of Saint Francis (Pa.) (25-16, 25-22, 25-20) on Thursday night.

Penn State hit .390 for the match with Michal Kowal leading the way with 12 kills. Brett Wildman added 10 kills and Cal Fisher had eight kills, coupled with three aces.

HISTORY vs. NITTANY LIONS
The last time these two teams met, Mason defeated Penn State in five sets (25-20, 12-25, 25-19, 23-25, 15-11) on April 3 inside EagleBank Arena. The Nittany Lions won the season series against the Patriots 3-1.

The last time the two squads met in the EIVA Tournament the Nittany Lions got the best of the Patriots, defeating the Green & Gold in three sets in the EIVA semifinal on April 18, 2019.

The Patriots and Nittany Lions met in the EIVA Championship back in 2015 when Penn State defeated Mason in three sets.

A LOOK AHEAD
The winner of the EIVA Championship will get an automatic bid to the NCAA NC Men's Volleyball Championship. The Patriots have made four appearances in the NC Men's Volleyball Championship.

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Players Mentioned

#9 Hayden Wagner: OPP; 6' 6"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#9 Hayden Wagner
: 6' 6"; Senior
: OPP

Players Mentioned

#9 Hayden Wagner

Players Mentioned

#9 Hayden Wagner