UC Irvine Wins Second National Title in Three Years
May 11, 2009
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NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP:
UC IRVINE brought home its second national championship in the last three years with a 3-2 win over MPSF Tournament Champion USC (26-30, 30-23, 26-30, 30-17, 15-12) in Provo, UT on Saturday. The Anteaters rallied from set deficits of 1-0 and 2-1, as well as from 8-6 down in the fifth, in avenging the MPSF semifinal loss to the Trojans. Senior setter and NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player Ryan Ammerman took charge at the net with a career-high 13 blocks while dishing out 55 assists. He also tied a career-high with six kills on nine errorless swings (.667) and set UCI to a .342 hitting attack for the match, including a crucial .400 fifth set. All-tournament honoree Taylor Wilson recorded 21 kills (.375) and six blocks. Carson Clark and Jordan DuFault added 15 and 14 kills respectively, with the latter chipping in a double-double on 11 digs. As the nation's top blocking team, UCI combined for 20.5 stuffs (4.10 B/S), sparked in part by the seven off the bench from Bryan Simmons. The Trojans had four players in double-figure kills, led by all-tournament selection Murphy Troy's 26 (.367). Tony Ciarelli and Austin Zahn (.700) both finished with 15 kills. All-tournament setter Riley McKibben tallied 71 assists and 13 digs. Libero Luke Morris, the only USC regular who will be lost to graduation, picked up a match-high 15 digs.....
NCAA SEMIFINAL:
UC IRVINE advanced to its second national championship match with a 3-0 sweep (30-25, 30-25, 30-26) over MIVA Conference Champion Ohio State. Ammerman set 45 assists (15.00 A/S) as the Anteaters out-hit the Buckeyes, .306-.247. Clark recorded 12 kills (.333), Wilson had 11, and DuFault added 10 (.400) along with seven digs. Kevin Wynne was effective in the middle, recording eight kills on 12 errorless swings (.667). Clark served two of the five UCI aces and senior libero Brent Asuka picked up a match-high 10 digs.....
NCAA SEMIFINAL:
USC earned its first trip to the national championship match since 1991 with a 3-1 win (27-30, 30-26, 30-26, 30-24) over EIVA Conference and defending national champion Penn State. In avenging their early season five-set loss to the Lions, the Trojans also snapped the Lions' 12-match win streak leading up to the NCAA Tournament. USC hit a season-high .484, led by Troy's .595 attack (24-2-37). Tri Bourne hit .458 (13-2-24) and Hunter Current hit .875 (7-0-8). Ciarelli had 19 kills and McKibbin tossed up 62 assists (15.50 A/S). Morris was the only player for either team in double-digit digs with 11 ....