Top Four Seeds Host MPSF Quarterfinals Saturday
April 15, 2013
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BYU (21-3 MPSF, 22-4 Overall) is the MPSF Tournament No. 1 seed, clinched on March 30, the earliest in MPSF history. The Cougars host No. 8 seed Hawaii Saturday (Apr. 20) in quarterfinal action. Provo would be the site for the remainder of the conference tournament should BYU win, as it did against the Warriors at home (3-0, 3-1) in the first two matches of the year, Jan. 4 and 5. Michael Hatch leads the MPSF in blocking average (1.43 B/S), while Taylor Sander records 3.92 kills and 0.38 aces per set. BYU hits .326, allows opponents to hit .237, and posts 2.94 blocks per set, all tops in the conference.
UC IRVINE (18-6 MPSF, 22-6 Overall) is seeded second, at home in the quarterfinals for the third straight year, facing No. 7 seed UC Santa Barbara. Both meetings in the regular season went to the Anteaters, 3-0 on the road and 3-1 at home. The defending tournament champions have won five straight matches and 15 straight sets. UCI has the top-two middle hitters in the MPSF, Scott Kevorken (.492) and Collin Mehring (.486), while Kevin Tillie averages 3.84 kills per set.
LONG BEACH STATE (18-6 MPSF, 22-7 Overall) is seeded third, hosting six seed Stanford, a 2013 series which produced 3-0 and 3-2 49er wins. This is the first time since 2006 the 49ers host the quarters ('08 had a bye as top seed). Taylor Crabb ranks third in the MPSF with 4.15 kills per set, and is statistically the top non-middle hitter in the MPSF with a .353 clip. Taylor Gregory ranks second with a 1.42 block average. The 49ers have won five straight.
UCLA (16-8 MPSF, 20-10 Overall) is hosting a quarterfinal match for the first time since 2008, seeded fourth, and taking on No. 5 seed Pepperdine. The Bruins won both meetings 3-0, Feb. 23 and Apr. 10. Spencer Rowe hits .466, third in the conference, while Gonzalo Quiroga averages 3.67 kills and an MPSF best 0.48 aces. UCLA hit a conference-high .336 in the league this year, and .375 in their final 10 matches, winning nine.
PEPPERDINE (13-11 MPSF, 14-11 Overall) won its season finale at UCSB, 3-1, to secure the five seed. Maurice Torres leads the MPSF with 4.23 kills and 5.05 points per set, entering postseason play. Parker Kalmbach hits .382 and averages 1.25 blocks. The Waves average 2.76 blocks, second highest in the conference.
STANFORD (12-12 MPSF, 15-12 Overall) split with Cal Baptist (3-2) and BYU (0-3) to end the regular season. Brian Cook ranks fourth in the MPSF with 3.99 kills per set, and fifth with 4.55 points. Denny Falls hits .452, ranking fifth.
UC SANTA BARBARA (11-13 MPSF, 15-15 Overall) is the seven seed after a 1-1 split with USC (3-1) and Pepperdine (1-3) to end the regular season. The Gauchos were also the seven seed in 2011, when they went on to tie for the lowest seed ever to win an MPSF Championship. Dylan Davis averages 1.37 blocks, third in the MPSF, and hits .438 in ranking sixth.
HAWAII (10-14 MPSF, 11-16 Overall) won its final two matches at UC San Diego in earning the eighth and final spot in the MPSF Tournament. Sinisa Zarkovic averages 3.04 kills. Brook Sedore has served 41 aces, tied for third in the conference.
CAL BAPTIST (12-12 MPSF, 16-14 Overall) ended its initial season in the MPSF, as Levi Cabral ranks second with 4.16 kills and 4.90 points per set, and leads the conference with 52 aces. Brett Anderson is at the top with 11.64 assists per set.
CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE (9-15 MPSF, 11-15 Overall) John Baker (3.57 kills per set), Jared Moore (.428), and Drew Staker (1.11 blocks per set) were amongst the Matador leaders in 2013.
USC (6-18 MPSF, 6-18 Overall) Micah Christenson served 41 aces, tied for third in the MPSF. Tanner Jansen averaged 3.77 kills and Robert Feathers hit .391, each in the conference top-10.
PACIFIC (6-18 MPSF, 9-19 Overall) Taylor Hughes delivered 3.79 kills per set this year, while Javier Caceres is the MPSF dig leader through the regular season, totaling 286 (2.72 D/S)
UC SAN DIEGO (4-20 MPSF, 7-22 Overall) Carl Eberts (2.97 K/S), Greg Smith (.380), Chase Frishman (2.33 D/S), and Fred Stahl (1.04 B/S) were amongst the Triton leaders in 2013.
BROOK SEDORE MPSF MOLTEN PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Hawaii sophomore outside hitter Brook Sedore (Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada) led the Warriors to a two-match series win at UC San Diego, which put the Warriors in the eight-team MPSF postseason field. He accumulated 50 kills (5.56 K/S) with a .400 hitting attack (50-16-85), 13 digs (1.44 D/S), nine blocks (1.00 B/S), and two aces through the weekend. He slammed 31 kills (.489) the second night, third most for a match in the conference this year. Sedore totaled 58 series points (6.44 P/S). Also Nominated: Taylor Crabb (LBSU); Zack La Cavera (UCI); Spencer Rowe (UCLA); Devin Young (BYU)...