MPSF Men's Volleyball Weekly Release: 2/11/08
Feb. 11, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Standings and Results in PDF Format
Complete Statistics in PDF Format
UC IRVINE (5-4 MPSF, 8-6 overall) took a pair of home matches this past week, 3-1 over No. 5 Pepperdine and 3-0 over No. 11 USC. UCI did not allow USC to block a single volleyball all night. Junior setter Ryan Ammerman dished out career efforts in both matches, 40 assists vs. the Waves, then breaking that mark with 44 vs. the Trojans. Senior Aaron Harrell stuffed a career-high 10 blocks in the first win. Junior Jon Steller combined for a 34-kill week (.333). No. 1 BYU visits UCI Friday and Saturday (Feb. 15-16). The Anteaters won two of three meetings last year, a split in Provo, followed by an MPSF Semi-Final win in Malibu.
BYU (4-0 MPSF, 9-0 overall) was not in action last week, and takes a perfect mark to No. 6 UC Irvine this week (Feb. 15 & 16).
LONG BEACH STATE topped UC San Diego in four games at home in the lone match of the week. The No. 3 49ers stay unbeaten and in first place with a 7-0 MPSF record and 9-0 overall. Sophomore Dan Alexander had 13 kills (.556) and 10 blocks, while sophomore Dean Bittner had a match-high 21 kills (.312). Senior Paul Lotman added 16 kills (.316), six blocks, and three aces. The 49ers out-hit the Tritons .338-.141. The 49ers are off to their best start since 1999, when they were 10-0 and eventually reached the national championship match. Visits to Pepperdine and USC take place this week (Feb. 13 & 15).
CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE swept two conference road matches, 3-0 over Pacific and No. 9 Stanford. The Matadors hit .398 in Stockton and Mike Gaudino served five of the team's seven aces. Freshman Cody Loe tallied 13 kills (.571) that match and 14 more at .600 in Palo Alto, and owned a 10-block weekend. Stanford was held to .089 hitting. A trip to the MIVA is next for third-place Northridge (6-3 MPSF/8-4 overall), at Loyola-Chicago Friday (Feb. 15) and Lewis Saturday (Feb. 16).
USC again split a pair of MPSF road matches, upsetting No. 4 UCLA 3-0, and falling at No. 8 UC Irvine 3-0. The win over the Bruins marked the first back-to-back win for the Trojans over their rivals since 1991. No. 11 USC controlled the hitting (.352-.116), and blocking (16.0-7.0). Senior Juan Figueroa recorded a match-high 15 kills (.435) that night, and went on for a 31-kill week with a .462 clip. Home matches against UCSD and Long Beach State are Wednesday and Friday (Feb. 13 & 15).
UCLA had a 1-1 MPSF home week, falling 3-0 to No. 11 USC and winning 3-1 over No. 5 Pepperdine. Four Bruins were in double-figure kills vs. the Waves, led by 18 each for sophomore Garrett Muagututia and junior Sean O'Malley. The third-place Bruins (6-3 MPSF/9-4 overall) travel to Hawaii Thursday and Friday (Feb. 14 & 15).
STANFORD split a pair of conference home matches, 3-1 over No. 13 UC Santa Barbara followed by a 3-0 loss to No. 6 CS Northridge. Senior Matt Ceran knocked down 15 kills (.522) vs. UCSB, while sophomore Evan Romero totaled 27 kills in two matches. The Cardinal visits Pacific Friday (Feb. 15).
UC SANTA BARBARA senior Theo Brunner pounded 20 kills (.533) with seven blocks in a 3-1 loss at No. 9 Stanford, and 18 more (.533) with eight stuffs in a 3-1 win at Pacific. He becomes the 10th Gaucho all time to break the 1,000 career kill mark. UC Santa Cruz makes a trip to Santa Barbara Friday (Feb. 15) in non-conference play.
PEPPERDINE (5-5 MPSF/overall) dropped two 3-1 outcomes in a conference road trip, at No. 8 UC Irvine and No. 4 UCLA. Freshman Cory Riecks combined for 39 kills (.356) in eight games, including a career-high 24 in Westwood. Junior Eric Liebert had a 17-block week. The Waves host first place Long Beach State Wednesday (Feb. 13) and UC San Diego Saturday (Feb. 16).
PACIFIC fell 3-0 at home to No. 6 CS Northridge and 3-1 to No. 13 UCSB. Senior Pekka Seppanen slammed a career-high 33 kills (.417) against the Gauchos and 15 kills (.379) vs. the Matadors. The Tigers host Stanford Friday (Feb. 15).
UC SAN DIEGO dropped a 3-1 decision at No. 3 Long Beach State Friday. Sophomore Frank Fritsch earned a double-double on 17 kills and 10 digs. Sophomore Jason Spangler totaled 16 kills, eight digs, and three aces. At USC and Pepperdine are up next.
HAWAII (2-4 MPSF, 3-6 overall) was off this past week and hosts UCLA Thursday and Friday (Feb. 14-15).
BRUNNER AND STELLER NAMED MPSF MOLTEN PLAYERS OF THE WEEK Woodland, Calif. - UC Santa Barbara senior middle blocker Theo Brunner (Ridgefield, CT/Ridgefield HS) became just the 10th Gaucho all time to break 1,000 career kills this past week in Northern California. He posted match highs of 20 kills (.533) and seven blocks at Stanford, and followed up with a match-high 18 kills (.533) at Pacific with a career-high eight blocks. Brunner averaged 4.75 kills in two matches at a solid .533 attack, with 17 total blocks (1.88 B/G) .....UC Irvine junior opposite Jon Steller (Fresno, CA/Clovis West HS) totaled 34 kills (4.86 K/G) at a .333 clip in wins over No. 11 USC and No. 5 Pepperdine. He played a major role in leading UCI to its first season sweep of Pepperdine since 1995, adding career-highs of nine digs and four blocks.