UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Penn State looks to keep its EIVA regular season title hopes alive as it travels to Fairfax, Virginia for a pair of matches against George Mason. The teams play Friday at 6 p.m., and again on Saturday at 5 p.m. Both matches are at the Recreation Athletic Complex.
The Nittany Lions are currently tied with Harvard for second place in the EIVA standings, sitting two matches back of first-place Princeton with four matches to play. The regular season champion earns hosting rights for the six-team conference tournament. The last team other than Penn State to host the event was Princeton in 2019.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Friday, April 11 – 6 p.m.
Penn State (8-14, 5-3 EIVA) at George Mason (13-10, 4-4 EIVA) | Live Stats | Watch
Saturday, April 12 – 5 p.m.
Penn State (8-14, 5-3 EIVA) at George Mason (13-10, 4-4 EIVA) | Live Stats | Watch
LAST TIME OUT
• Penn State swept the season series with Sacred Heart last weekend, winning 3-0 on Friday and 3-1 on Saturday.
• Sean Harvey hit .444 with 4.14 kills/set and 1.43 blocks/set over the two wins. Owen Rose hit .632 with 2.00 kills/set and 1.00 blocks/set. The team hit .367 behind 10.43 assists/set from Michael Schwob, who also averaged 2.14 digs/set.
SERIES HISTORY
• Penn State and George Mason will meet for the 139th and 140th time. The teams first played in 1977.
• The Nittany Lions lead 120-18 in the all-time series, including a 37-11 record in Fairfax.
• Penn State has won nine straight matches against George Mason, including three last season. The last of those three wins came in the EIVA Championship match at Rec Hall. The Patriots’ last win in the series came in Fairfax in 2021.
• Ryan Merk has averaged 2.52 digs/set and is 94-95 (.989) on serve receptions in six career matches against George Mason. Owen Rose has hit .603 while averaging 1.74 kills/set and 1.30 blocks/set in his six career matches against the Patriots.
SCOUTING GEORGE MASON
• George Mason is 13-10 overall and 4-4 in the EIVA following a pair of losses at Princeton last week.
• The Patriots were picked third in the 2025 EIVA Preseason Coaches Poll. Redshirt junior outside hitter Liam French and sophomore opposite blocker Jackson Herbert were named Players to Watch.
• Freshman middle blocker Alexander Lillie ranks first in the EIVA in blocks/set (1.06).
CAREER HIGHS SET LAST WEEKEND
vs. Sacred Heart (4/5)
• Sean Harvey - kills (18), blocks (7)
STREAKS TO WATCH
Sean Harvey
• 3 straight matches with double-digit kills
Will Kuhns
• 5 straight matches with at least one ace
Ryan Merk
• 83 straight starts at libero
Michael Schwob
• 5 straight matches with at least one ace
UP NEXT
• Penn State closes the regular season with a pair of home matches against Princeton on April 18-19.
• The Tigers are 11-9 overall and 7-1 in the EIVA after five straight wins over Daemen (3-1), Sacred Heart (3-1), Sacred Heart (3-0), George Mason (3-1), and George Mason (3-0).