UC Irvine Keeps Pace at the Top of the MPSF
Feb. 9, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
UC IRVINE (6-1 MPSF, 10-2 overall) won two home matches this past week, 3-0 over No. 6 Stanford and 3-1 over Pacific. Freshman Carson Clark tallied 23 kills (.588) and five blocks and Taylor Wilson picked up a 16-kill (.500) and six-block night vs. the Tigers. The Anteaters, first to six MPSF wins, host UC Santa Barbara Wednesday (Feb. 11) in the week's only match.
UCLA (4-3 MPSF, 6-5 overall) topped No. 6 Stanford (3-2) and Pacific (3-1). The Bruins were down two sets to the Cardinal and one set to the Tigers. Senior Sean O'Malley totaled 40 kills (.453) in nine sets, while freshman Jack Polales combined for 33 (.491). UCLA collected 32 team blocks (3.56 B/S) and 17 aces (13 vs. UOP) during the weekend. Up next is a trip to the MIVA, facing Lewis Friday (Feb. 13) and Loyola-Chicago Saturday (Feb. 14).
USC (4-1 MPSF, 7-2 overall) defeated No. 9 BYU twice, 3-1 and 3-2. The Friday win marked the Trojans' first over the Cougars in the last 14 meetings dating back to 2001. USC came back from a 2-1 set deficit Saturday. Murphy Troy combined for 52 kills in nine sets (5.78 K/S) over the two wins, including a 28-kill (.610) first night. Austin Zahn had 15 kills (.522) in the second win. USC heads north to Pacific Friday (Feb. 13) and Stanford Saturday (Feb. 14).
CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE (5-2 MPSF, 8-2 overall) won two home matches in straight sets, defeating No. 7 Long Beach State and No. 15 UC San Diego. Eric Vance had 14 kills (.520), seven blocks, and three aces against the Tritons. He added 15 kills vs. the 49ers, while Jacek Ratajczak had 10 kills (.600) with seven blocks. Cal Baptist visits the Matadome on Friday (Feb. 13) in the lone match for the week for CSUN.
UC SAN DIEGO (2-5 MPSF, 4-6 overall) won its second MPSF road match, a five-set thriller at No. 10 UC Santa Barbara Friday. Frank Fritsch put away 23 kills and Calvin Ross added 13 (.500). The Tritons, who dropped a 3-0 contest at CS Northridge Saturday, travel to Springfield, MA, for the annual Hall of Fame Classic this weekend. UCSD will meet St. Francis Friday and either George Mason or Springfield Saturday.
LONG BEACH STATE (4-3 MPSF, 5-5 overall) split two on the road for the second straight week, winning in three at No. 10 UCSB and losing in three at No. 4 CS Northridge. Dean Bittner recorded 15 kills (.414) in the win and 14 in the loss. The 49ers return home for two against Hawaii, Thursday and Friday (Feb. 12-13).
STANFORD (3-4 MPSF, 7-5 overall) received a 28-kill effort from Evan Romero at UCLA last Thursday in a five-set loss. Spencer McLachlin tied a career-best 22 kills (.429) that night, while Kawika Shoji dished out a career-high 70 assists (14 A/S). The Cardinal lost in three at UC Irvine Friday. Pepperdine and USC visit this weekend (Feb. 13-14).
BYU (3-3 MPSF, 5-6 overall) had five players in double-digit kills Saturday, though dropped its second match in as many nights at No. 5 USC. Futi Tavana had 16 kills (.517). Mat Taylor added 18 each night. BYU is off this week, and hosts UC San Diego for two the following week (Feb. 20-21).
UC SANTA BARBARA (1-6 MPSF, 3-7 overall) lost twice at home, 3-2 vs. No. 15 UC San Diego and 3-0 to No. 7 Long Beach State. The Gauchos battled back from two sets down against UCSD, as Jeff Menzel had 25 kills. Scott Slaughter had 14 kills (.632) in the LBSU match and chipped in a double-double of 12 kills/10 blocks Friday. UCSB visits UC Irvine Wednesday in the only match of the week.
PACIFIC (0-7 MPSF, 2-10 overall) fell 3-1 at No. 8 UCLA and No. 3 UC Irvine. Clay Ostrander recorded 16 kills (.345) in Westwood, while Jason Borchin added 11 (.333). Jeff Hendershot put-away 12 (.526) in Irvine. Pepperdine and USC visit Stockton this week (Feb. 11 & 13).
PEPPERDINE (5-0 MPSF, 6-0 overall) is the only undefeated team in the MPSF and is coming off a bye week. The Waves return to conference action at Pacific Wednesday (Feb. 11) and Stanford Friday (Feb. 13).
HAWAII (2-4 MPSF, 3-6 overall) travels to Long Beach State for a pair of MPSF matches Thursday (Feb. 12) and Friday (Feb. 13). The Warriors were off last week, though shocked then No. 2 CS Northridge twice the week prior.
O'MALLEY AND TROY MPSF MOLTEN PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Woodland, Calif. - UCLA senior outside hitter Sean O'Malley (Oak Park, IL/River Forest HS) combined for 40 kills in nine sets (4.44 K/S) at .453 hitting last weekend in wins over No. 6 Stanford and Pacific. His season-high 23 kills against the Cardinal helped the Bruins storm back from a two-set deficit. O'Malley served four aces (0.44 A/S) and totaled seven blocks (0.78 B/S), including a career-high three solos vs. Stanford, in the two wins.
Woodland, Calif. - USC sophomore outside hitter Murphy Troy (St. Louis, MO/University HS) led the Trojans to their first wins over BYU in their last 14 attempts, dating back to the 2001 season. He combined for 52 kills in nine sets (5.78 K/S) while hitting .494. Troy had 28 kills at .610 in the first match. He added five aces over the two wins (0.56 A/S) as well as 14 digs. This is Troy's second weekly honor of `09 (Jan. 12).