Pepperdine, UCLA Earn Comeback Wins Over Top-Three
March 18, 2013
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PEPPERDINE (11-6 MPSF, 12-6 Overall) won two conference home matches last week, 3-1 over No. 2 UC Irvine after dropping the first set, before a 3-0 outcome over UC San Diego. Maurice Torres collected 22 kills (.300), 11 digs, and seven blocks vs. UCI. Scott Rhein was 13 for an errorless 16 (.812) vs. UCSD, the second-best hitting clip in the MPSF this year, and fifth in Waves' history. Pepperdine plays five of its final seven on the road, beginning Thursday (Mar. 21) at USC.
UCLA (11-7 MPSF, 15-9 Overall) pulled off two comeback road victories last week, both in five sets, once down 2-0 at Long Beach State and 2-1 at CS Northridge. The Bruins were errorless in the fifth set in each contest, hitting a collective .706 (24-0-34). Dane Worley had a career-high 26 kills (.404) in the Walter Pyramid, before adding 12 kills (.409) and four aces in the Matadome. Gonzalo Quiroga hit .576 at CSUN (22-3-33), while Connor Bannan led a .448 team attack. UCLA is off this week.
CAL BAPTIST (7-9 MPSF, 10-11 Overall) is within percentage points of the top-eight after a two-match home sweep over Hawaii, going four and five sets. Guilherme Koepp totaled a series-high 37 kills (.300). Levi Cabral combined for seven aces, six coming in the first win, tying for a conference season-high. The Lancers visit CS Northridge and Long Beach State this week.
UC SANTA BARBARA (8-10 MPSF, 11-12 Overall) has won six of seven after home wins over CS Northridge in four and Harvard in three. Dylan Davis hit an errorless .867 (13-0-15) in the MPSF win, the highest individual clip the conference has seen in over a year (min. 12 kills), along with 10 blocks for the double-double. Idle this week, the Gauchos currently hold the eighth and final postseason ticket with six to go.
UC IRVINE (14-5 MPSF, 17-5 Overall) Jeremy Dejno had 12 kills, while Kevin Tillie added 10 along with nine digs in a 3-0 win at USC. The second-place Anteaters are at home the rest of the regular season, with five conference matches to play, beginning Mar. 30 & 31 against UCLA and UC San Diego.
LONG BEACH STATE (12-5 MPSF, 16-6 Overall) defeated George Mason, 3-2, and IPFW, 3-0, in the Active Ankle Classic it hosted. Taylor Crabb had 18 kills (.371) in the sweep, after a 21-kill night in the UCLA match. Trevor Crabb posted a career-night against GMU, on 23 kills, 10 digs, and seven blocks. Cal Baptist and No. 1 BYU visit the Walter Pyramid this week. The 49ers defeated both on the road, 3-1 and 3-2 (Jan. 29 & Feb. 1).
UC SAN DIEGO (4-14 MPSF, 7-16 Overall) Carl Eberts had a match-high 17 kills (.375) and Cheyne Hayes recorded 11 blocks (2013 MPSF T-4th) as the Tritons won their first MPSF road match at USC, also sweeping the season series for the first time. UCSD also had 20 team blocks, third most in the conference this year. The Tritons are off until UCLA visits on Mar. 29.
PACIFIC (3-12 MPSF, 6-13 Overall) split at home against Grand Canyon this weekend, snapping a 10-match slide in Saturday's four-set contest. Taylor Hughes had 22 kills, hitting .571 in the win. The Tigers travel to Hawaii for two this week.
CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE (8-8 MPSF, 10-8 Overall) John Baker had 15 kills and Drew Staker hit 600 (10-1-15) vs. UCLA. The Matadors host Cal Baptist Wednesday (Mar. 20) and No. 1 BYU Friday (Mar. 22) in their home finales.
HAWAII (6-12 MPSF, 7-14 Overall) Davis Holt had a series-high 10 blocks at Cal Baptist. The Warriors, two back from the final playoff spot with six to play, host Pacific twice this weekend.
USC (4-13 MPSF, 4-13 Overall) Josh Kirchner was seven for an errorless nine (.778) with four blocks against UC San Diego. The Trojans host Pepperdine Thursday.
BYU (14-2 MPSF, 15-3 Overall) is coming off a bye week, and visits CS Northridge and Long Beach State this weekend. The Cougars have eight to play in the regular season, and in the race for the postseason's No. 1 seed, have three fewer losses than their closest competitors at the top.
STANFORD (9-8 MPSF, 12-8 Overall) is on a 19-day break from competition, next in action Mar. 29-30 at home against CS Northridge and Long Beach State.
MATT WEST MPSF MOLTEN PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Pepperdine sophomore setter Matt West (Seattle, WA/Shorewood HS) had 51 assists (12.75 A/S), and 11 digs, as the Waves hit .273 in the home win over No. 2 UC Irvine. In the follow up contest against UC San Diego, West handed out 36 assists in the three-set sweep. He connected with Scott Rhein for 13 kills off 16 attempts for a .812 clip, fifth all-time at Pepperdine and second in the MPSF this year. Overall, the Waves hit .362 (39.14-69) vs. the Tritons. West averaged 12. 43 assists, 1.57 digs, and 0.71 blocks per set for the week. Nominated: Dane Worley (UCLA); Carl Eberts (UCSD); Dylan Davis (UCSB); Levi Cabral (CBU)...