We're getting close to postseason, but plenty of marquee matchups are in store as we conclude the regular season, starting with a big one in the Big Ten this week. Keep reading for what's going on in the volleyball world.
1. Big Ten showdown set for Saturday
We're inching closer to one of the most anticipated rematches of the season.
Top-ranked Penn State (23-2) and No. 4 Minnesota (21-3) tangle on Saturday in Minneapolis. Only obstructed-view tickets are available at the Sports Pavilion.
What's on the line? Maybe the Big Ten title.
The Golden Gophers would love to retain sole ownership of first place in the Big Ten behind a 13-1 conference mark and 12 straight wins. They dropped one set in a weekend sweep of Michigan State and Michigan.
Penn State, winner of its last eight, sits right behind at 12-2, with league losses to Northwestern and Nebraska.
The first time around was pretty special for these two.
The Golden Gophers took the third and fourth sets before falling 15-12 in the fifth when the teams played at University Park on Sept. 26. Minnesota is 8-45 against Penn State, last winning in 2010.
The Nittany Lions have rounded into form with Aiyana Whitney moving into the middle to average 3.12 kills per set while hitting .346. Sophomore Haleigh Washington leads the Big Ten in hitting percentage (.464) and points per set (3.80).
The Golden Gophers' one and only Big Ten title came in 2002. Penn State won its 16th conference championship in 2013.
Meanwhile, Minnesota senior Daly Santana, the Big Ten player of the week, has taken over as the team's top offensive threat after the graduation of All-Americans Ashley Wittman and Tori Dixon. The outside hitter is atop the conference in kills per set (4.66) and amassed 39 over the weekend.
First Big Ten opponent first: Penn State plays at Iowa and Minnesota goes to Northwestern on Wednesday.
2. Four teams almost perfect
While No. 2 USC became the last unbeaten team to fall last weekend against Washington, the Trojans remain one of four teams with one loss.
USC is 25-1, No. 7 Hawaii, 22-1, No. 10 Kansas, 22-1 and unranked Arkansas State is 24-1.
The Jayhawks can avenge their lone loss of the season on Wednesday when Texas comes to Lawrence. The Rainbow Wahine, winners of their last 17, play four games over the next seven days, all on the road. Arkansas State retained the longest win streak in the nation at 20 by defeating Appalachian State on Sunday.
3. Cardinals alone atop ACC
Louisville's five-set defeat of Pittsburgh followed by a sweep at Virginia Tech kept the Cardinals alone atop the ACC at 13-1.
The Cardinals' lone loss in the last 14 games was at North Carolina on Oct. 30. The Tar Heels (15-8) have won their last seven, including rallying from 0-2 down on Sunday over Boston College. They meet league spoiler Pitt, which downed North Carolina in straight sets on Sept. 27 and swept Florida State (19-6) on Oct 30.
No. 22 Louisville travels to Tallahassee on Sunday for a key league matchup. The No. 20 Seminoles, like North Carolina, are 12-2 in conference play.
The Tar Heels (15-8) are back in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll this week at No. 25.
4. Signature win for Auburn
Auburn (14-10) last beat Florida in 1990, a string of 41 losses, until Sunday's 3-2 victory that was punctuated by an 18-16 fifth set. Along the way were 43 ties and 14 lead changes.
Since Mary Wise took over the program in 1991, Florida has only lost four games in the SEC once (2009).
It was Auburn's first win over a nationally ranked team since 2013 and third overall. Sophomore Courtney Crable was key, with 20 kills and two errors, hitting .360. Sophomore setter Alexia Filley had 55 assists and 12 digs.
Senior libero Nikki O'Rourke's 33 digs were the third-most in school history.
No. 15 Florida is 0-4 in five-set matches this season. All of them have been on the road.
The Gators were limited to a .206 hitting percentage, and sophomore middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan had nine kills and seven errors for a .067 percentage. Alhassan came into the match hitting .446, fifth-best in the NCAA.
No. 18 Kentucky (18-7) remains in first place in the SEC at 11-2.
5. The other Texas A&M
You probably know how good Aggie volleyball is; Texas A&M (17-6) won its ninth straight with a sweep over Georgia on Sunday.
But don't overlook Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (26-4), which won its first Southland title on Saturday by sweeping Central Arkansas.
"It's hard to put into words how much this means," said head coach Tony Graystone. "This is something we've been working toward for so long and it's so fitting to see us do it today, on senior day, with these seniors who have been the core for so long."
The 26 victories are a school record for the Islanders, who have won 15 straight since a Sept. 18 loss to Louisiana Tech.
Islander senior Ivy Baresh will leave the school as the lone player to have collected 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs. She is already the career record holder in services aces with 116.