MPSF Men's Volleyball Weekly Release
Jan. 28, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
BYU won all three of its non-conference matches this week, 3-1 at Loyola-Chicago, and 3-1 and 3-0 over NAIA power Cal Baptist. Senior Ivan Perez led the Cougars in the home openers vs. the Lancers, combining for a .500 clip (32-6-52). Russell Holmes added 11 blocks in seven games over the weekend. Top-ranked BYU (7-0 overall, 2-0 MPSF) returns to conference action by hosting Cal State Northridge Friday and Saturday (Feb. 1-2), in a battle between the second and third place teams.
CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE swept Stanford and Pacific in its home openers this past week to improve to 6-2 overall, 4-1 MPSF, the best conference start for the program since 1996. Freshman Tanner Nua served all seven Matador aces vs. the Cardinal, one shy of the team record, while also recording seven kills (.462) and three blocks. Nua also had 10 kills (.438) with two aces and two blocks vs. the Tigers. Junior Eric Vance totaled 27 kills for the week (4.50 K/G). CS Northridge has won nine straight individual games and travels to top-ranked BYU Friday and Saturday (Feb.1-2).
UC IRVINE won both of its MPSF road matches this past week by a 3-1 count over No. 2 Pepperdine and No. 11 USC. The Anteaters limited the Waves to a .203 clip and the Trojans to .210. Taylor Wilson combined for 43 kills (5.38 K/G) in the two wins, including a career-high 24 in Malibu. Freshman Anthony Spittle dished out 125 assists (15.63 A/G) for the week. Freshman Cory Yoder hit an effective .469 vs. USC (16-1-32), while freshman Kevin Wynne hit .533 (9-1-15). UCI hosts UC Santa Cruz Tuesday (Jan. 29) and returns to conference at UCLA Friday (Feb. 1).
HAWAII took two conference home matches against UC San Diego, Wednesday in four sets and Friday in five. The Warriors dominated Friday's block, 18.5-6.0, led by sophomore Steven Grgas' 12. Freshman Joshua Walker recorded 24 kills (.380) along with four aces and four blocks. Walker also had a team-high 16 kills the first night and Sean Carney contributed a double-double with 11 kills and 14 digs. Hawaii hits the road for the first time in '08, at UC Santa Barbara Friday (Feb. 1) and Saturday (Feb. 2).
USC erased three match points and came up with a thrilling five-set upset over No. 5 UCLA last Wednesday (18-16 in game five), before dropping a 3-1 contest to No. 10 UC Irvine. Senior Juan Figueroa recorded an identical line of 20 kills and 11 digs in each match. Freshman Murphy Troy totaled 27 kills for the week, 17 vs. UCI. Senior Jimmy Killian set 50 assists vs. UCI along with seven blocks. The Trojans travel to first-place Long Beach State Friday (Feb. 1) and then UC San Diego Saturday (Feb. 2).
UCLA competed in a pair of five-game conference road matches, falling at No. 11 USC and winning at No. 2 Pepperdine. Sophomore Garrett Muagututia had a team-high 19 kills in the loss. Junior Jamie Diefenbach nailed 21 kills (.690) and five blocks in the win, and nine more blocks in the loss. Junior D.J. Stromath's 17 kills (.556) was a career-high in Malibu, as was junior Ryan Ratelle's 23 kills (.333). The Bruins host Cal Baptist Wednesday (Jan. 30) and UC Irvine Friday (Feb. 1).
STANFORD split a pair of 3-0 decisions on the road, falling at CS Northridge and beating UC Santa Barbara. Senior Matt Ceran and sophomore Evan Romero each tallied 17 kills against the Gauchos, with Ceran hitting .517. The Cardinal controlled the attack.414-.280, as sophomore Kawika Shoji dished out 51 assists (17.00 A/G). Romero posted a double-double at Northridge with 14 kills and 10 digs. Pacific and Ball State visit Palo Alto this week, Thursday (Jan. 31) and Saturday (Feb. 2).
UC SANTA BARBARA freshman Jeff Menzel recorded a match-high 21 kills (.341) in a 3-0 home loss to No. 6 Stanford, and 11 more (.444) in a 3-0 win over Pacific. He added five blocks vs. the Tigers. Senior Theo Brunner hit .478 in the win (12-1-23) with four blocks as UCSB out-hit Pacific .346-.061 on the night. The Gauchos host Hawaii Friday and Saturday (Feb. 1-2).
PEPPERDINE continues to play without junior All-American Paul Carroll, out with a hand fracture, as the Waves dropped a pair of MPSF home matches. Junior Matt McKee recorded a career-high 21 kills (.286) in a 3-1 loss to No. 10 UC Irvine, and would knock down 21 more (.359) in a 3-2 loss vs. No. 5 UCLA along with 11 digs for his first double-double. The Waves travel to first-place Long Beach State Wednesday (Jan. 30) and UC San Diego Friday (Feb. 1).
UC SAN DIEGO dropped a pair of conference matches at Hawaii, Wednesday in four sets and Friday in five. Sophomore Frank Fritsch slammed 25 kills Friday to help the Tritons to a comeback after falling behind two sets. Sophomore Jason Spangler notched a double-double each night, 21 kills and 13 digs the first match and 21 kills (.341) and 10 digs the second. UCSD returns home for Princeton Wednesday (Jan. 30), followed by MPSF action with Pepperdine Friday (Feb. 1) and USC Saturday (Feb. 2).
PACIFIC lost 3-0 at Northridge and UCSB over the weekend. Senior Pekka Seppanen recorded 15 kills vs. the Matadors (.379) and 10 kills and nine digs vs. the Gauchos. The Tigers are at Stanford Thursday (Jan. 31) and host Ball State Friday (Feb. 1).
LONG BEACH STATE was idle this past week and currently sits atop the MPSF standings with a perfect 4-0 conference mark and 6-0 overall. The 49ers have dropped just two individual games in their first six matches this season. They lead the individual and team conference statistics in several categories, including senior Paul Lotman ranking first in kills (5.80) and points per game (6.60). Pepperdine visits the Pyramid Wednesday (Jan. 30), followed by USC Friday (Feb. 1).
WILSON NAMED MPSF MOLTEN PLAYER OF THE WEEK Woodland, Calif. - UC Irvine junior opposite Taylor Wilson (Mission Viejo, CA / Capistrano Valley HS) slammed a career-high 24 kills (.340) in a 3-1 upset win over No. 2 Pepperdine last Wednesday in Malibu. It was just the fifth win all-time for the Anteaters on the road against the Waves. Wilson added 19 kills in a 3-1 win at No. 11 USC. For the week, he totaled 43 kills (5.38 K/G) at .269 and six blocks (0.75 B/G). He also averaged 1.12 digs and 6.13 points per game.