Penn State Preps for Epic Road Showdown

Penn State's spring break? Not your typical vacation.

A Grueling Gauntlet

Penn State Men's Volleyball is about to embark on a wild 10,000-mile journey, facing off against four top-15 teams. First stop: No. 15 Grand Canyon in Phoenix. Then, it's off to the islands for the Outrigger Invitational, where they'll clash with No. 5 USC, No. 3 Hawaii, and No. 12 Ball State.

Talk about a pressure cooker.

Head coach Mark Pavlik isn't fazed. "The been there, done that," he said. "We know what’s going to be coming at us, and that’s what’s making this trip, for me, very interesting." The Nittany Lions have faced the storm before, kicking off their season against a slew of ranked opponents, including No. 1 UCLA and No. 14 Loyola Chicago.

The Battle with Errors

The young squad has struggled with errors, committing 16 more than opponents. Their hitting percentage? A shaky .237. Pavlik knows tightening up is key. "Instead of hitting the ball out of bounds and giving them a freebie for their side out, if we make them work for a side out, and we can turn 40% to 50% of those, we’ll be in pretty good shape," he emphasized.

Injuries and Adjustments

Missing Matthew Luoma could sting. His recent 33 kills and .400 hitting percentage would be sorely missed. Miller Trubey, the 6’11” Loyola Chicago transfer, has stepped in, but with a .156 hitting percentage and 11 service errors, there's work to do.

Pavlik is helping Trubey find his rhythm, using a golf analogy to hammer the point home. "If you’re a golfer, and you can hit a ball 345 yards, you don’t practice hitting it less than 345," Pavlik explained. "You practice trying to get that consistency."

The Travel Test

Then there's the travel. Nearly 10,000 miles, with time zones to boot. Players "eating their knees," as Pavlik put it. Hydration and rest are going to be crucial. "When we get to Hawaii, I guarantee at 4 a.m., I’m going to be wide awake," Pavlik said.

And just like that, the Nittany Lions' mettle will be tested. Can they rise above? If they do, this road trip could be the turning point.

This is where it changes.

Source: onwardstate.com