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Something has to give when two streaking Big Ten rivals — Illinois and Penn State — collide in State College, Pa. (6 p.m. Friday).

Two-time defending NCAA champion Penn State owns the mother of all volleyball streaks, having won its last 90 matches. The Nittany Lions' streak ranks third all-time among all NCAA sports behind Miami men's tennis (137 in a row from 1957-640 and North Carolina women's soccer (92 straight from 1990-94).

By those gargantuan standards, the Illini's 11-match winning streak is exceedingly modest. Still, it is the longest UI streak in 17 years, dating back to the 1992 Illini winning 22 in a row.

Needless to say, a 12th straight victory by No. 5 Illinois would send shockwaves across the NCAA volleyball landscape.

No. 1 Penn State (26-0, 14-0 Big Ten) has lost four sets (out of 82) this season. Illinois (20-3, 12-2) is among the 23 opponents the Nittany Lions have swept, on Sept. 26 at Huff Hall.

Expect the Illini to command the full attention of Penn State in this rematch. To this point, second-place Illinois has established itself as the most dangerous challenger the Nittany Lions face in their march toward a seventh straight Big Ten title.

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