Game Notes (PDF)

Lewis (26-3) is the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Men's Volleyball Tournament and No. 2 in the AVCA Poll. The Flyers will open NCAA Tournament play on Thursday (May 7) with a 10 p.m. CT Semifinal match against Penn State (21-9). The Nittany Lions defeated Hawaii on Tuesday in an NCAA play-in game. A win would advance Lewis to the National Championship match on Saturday (May 9) at 8:30 p.m. CT against the winner of Loyola and UC Irvine. All matches are being played at Maples Pavilon on the campus of tournament host Stanford University. Fans can watch Thursday's match for free online at NCAA.com on this link. The game can be heard on 1340 WJOL.

VS PENN STATE – The Flyers know their first opponent well. Lewis defeated Penn State twice this season but fell to the Nittany Lions last year 3-1 in a NCAA play-in game. Summaries of this season's matches.

Jan 24, 2015 - at PSU - Lewis 3, Penn State 1 (25-18, 18-25, 25-22, 25-20)
- Lewis out-blocked PSU 12.5 to 2.0
- Eric Fitterer (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) recorded a double-double with 13 kills and 11 digs
- Match only had five lead changes

Feb. 20, 2015 - at Lewis - Lewis 3, Penn State 1 (25-15, 26-28, 25-18, 25-20)
- Bobby Walsh (Chicago, Ill./Mount Carmel) hit .615 with nine kills and 12 blocks
- Bobby Walsh (Chicago, Ill./Mount Carmel) was named AVCA National Player of the Week for his play
- The Flyers out-blocked Penn State 20.5 to 3.5

I'VE BEEN HERE ALREADY! – The NCAA Tournament won't be the Flyers' first trip to Maples Pavillon this year. Lewis played in a tournament hosted by Stanford in January. Lewis topped Stanford 3-0 and fell to BYU in five sets the next night in a neutral site match.

REAGAN ERA VOLLEYBALL – Lewis played Loyola in the 2015 MIVA Championship this season. It was the third straight year the two clubs played in the title game. The last time the same teams played in three consecutive MIVA Championships was 1981-89 when Ball State and Ohio State played in nine consecutive title games.

TOURNAMENT TIME – This will be Lewis' third appearance in NCAA play under Lewis head coach Dan Friend. The Flyers won the MIVA Championship in 2012 and fell to host USC in the NCAA Semifinals. The Flyers were in the play in game last season at Loyola. The Flyers fell to Penn State 3-1.

WE WERE SO YOUNG – Geoff Powell (Claremont, Calif./Claremont) and Greg Petty (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) started as freshmen in 2012 when the Flyers lost in four at USC to the Trojans in the NCAA Tournament. Powell returned to his native California to hit .355 with 17 kills and nine digs vs. the Trojans. Greg Petty (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) put down six kills.

CALIFORNIA LOVE – Powell is one of two Californians on the Lewis roster. Powell and libero Lucas Yanez (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs) call the Golden State their home. Powell is from Claremont. Yanez' home is Burbank.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE #1? – Lewis earned the No. 1 ranking in the AVCA NCAA DI-II Top 15 Poll on Monday (April 20). It was the first time Lewis earned the No. 1 ranking in the nation during the season since 1999. It also allowed Lewis to play a home game as the No. 1 team in the nation for the first time.

POLLING PLACE – The Flyers have been ranked in the AVCA Top 15 Poll for 84 consecutive polls. That is a total of 221 calendar weeks. The last poll without the Flyers ranked on it was Jan. 31, 2011.

GREAT WALSH OF LEWIS – Bobby Walsh (Chicago, Ill./Mount Carmel) leads the nation in blocks per set with 1.53 per frame.

BOBBY FROM THE BLOCK – Bobby Walsh (Chicago, Ill./Mount Carmel)'s blocking prowess earned him the 2015 Off The Block/Springbak National Blocker of Year award. The honor was voted on by more than 30 college men's volleyball head coaches and volleyball reporters from around the nation.

IN THE FAMILY - Sophomore Trevor Weiskircher (Loves Park, Ill./Boylan Catholic)'s sister Bryanna Weiskircher plays for the Penn State women's volleyball team.

BLOCK PARTY - As a team, Lewis is ranked number one nationally in blocks per set with 3.39. No other team is averaging 3.00 blocks per set.

DON'T YOU, FORGET ABOUT ME - Lewis' block is also aided by the Flyers other middle hitter sophomore Jacob Schmiegelt (Lombard, Ill./Willowbrook). He ranks seventh in the nation in blocks with 1.23 per set.

ASSIST ME – The one starter for Lewis who did not return from last season was All-American setter BJ Boldog (Palatine, Ill./Palatine). The four-year starter guided Lewis to the NCAA play in 2012 and 2014. Filling his shoes this year is junior Scott Fifer (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg). The new starter did pretty well. He guided a Lewis offense to a .347 attack percentage in 2015 while averaging 9.64 assists per set. He had a season-high in assists in a three set match at Maples Pavilon when he recorded 40 against the Cardinal on Jan. 9. He went on to record 40 assists in a sweep of Lindenwood on April 28.

NO ROOM FOR BROOMS – It has been two full years since the Flyers have been swept in a match. Lewis' last loss in three sets came April 13, 2013 at IPFW. It is a streak of 61 consecutive matches without being swept.

I JUST LOVE AMERICA SO MUCH – Lewis picked up a program single-season high five AVCA All-American honors in 2015. Geoff Powell (Claremont, Calif./Claremont) was named to the First Team. Lucas Yanez (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs), Bobby Walsh (Chicago, Ill./Mount Carmel), Greg Petty (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) and Eric Fitterer (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) were named to the Second Team.

ALL-CONFERENCE CALL – Geoff Powell (Claremont, Calif./Claremont), Greg Petty (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North), Bobby Walsh (Chicago, Ill./Mount Carmel), Lucas Yanez (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs), Eric Fitterer (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) were named to the 2015 All-MIVA First Team. Scott Fifer (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) was named to the All-MIVA Second Team. It is the first time in MIVA history five players from the same team have made the All-MIVA First Team. The Flyers account for half of the 10 All-MIVA First Team honorees. Lewis' six total All-MIVA selections are the most in a single season in program history.

IT'S A MAJOR AWARD – Lewis' head coach Dan Friend was named the 2015 MIVA Coach of the Year. It is the first time in Friend's career he has earned the honor.

HOW SWEEP IT IS – Lewis has 17 sweeps this season. It breaks the single-season high during the Dan Friend era for three-set wins. Lewis won 16 matches in three sets in 2012.

ONCE, TWICE… SIX TIMES – Lewis earned six MIVA Player of the Week awards this season.

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE – Lewis is 57-6 (.904) at Neil Carey Arena since 2012. The 2012 season was the freshman year for this squad's senior class meaning the seniors only lost six times at home in their careers.

ALREADY A RECORD – The fewest losses by a Lewis team in program history is the 1996's 31-5 mark. Lewis can only add one more loss to their ledger this year. This means the 2015 team will set a record for fewest losses in a season no matter what happens in the postseason.

THEY CALL IT A STREAK – The Flyers' loss at Ohio State earlier this season ended a 13-match win streak for the Flyers. It matched the longest win streak during the Dan Friend era. The 2013 Flyers also won 13 matches in a row.

IN THE GOLDEN STATE – In the Dan Friend era, his Lewis teams are 24-10 in matches played in California.