Waves In Third, Host No. 2 49ers
March 17, 2014
MPSF Volleyball Release 11
PEPPERDINE (12-5 MPSF/12-5 Overall) picked up two key road wins last week, winning in four at UCLA and five at UCSB, and sits in a top-four position in looking to host an MPSF Quarterfinal. The Waves also clinched any potential two-way tiebreaker over the Bruins for seeding purposes (2-0 head-to-head matches). Matt Tarantino did not commit a single error last week on 32 swings, hitting .719 (23-0-32), and is errorless in three straight matches (34-0-47). Josh Taylor combined for a .403 attack on 4.33 kills per set (39-10-72). Matt West averaged 11.33 assists per set, as the Waves hit .332 through the week. Long Beach State, one-half match ahead of Pepperdine in second-place, visits Malibu on Thursday (Mar. 20).
LONG BEACH STATE (12-4 MPSF/15-4 Overall) extended its win streak to eight, and 12 of its last 13, with two wins at the Active Ankle Tournament in Long Beach. The 49ers took down Ohio State in five and Penn State in three. Long Beach State is 2.5 back from the top spot in the standings with eight to play, and hits the road this week at Pepperdine and USC. The Beach has Tiebreakers over Stanford (2-0 head-to-head matches) and Hawaii (5-3 head-to-head sets).
BYU (15-2 MPSF/15-4 Overall) won a pair of straight-set MPSF home matches over UC Irvine and UC San Diego, extending to 17 straight sets won in Provo and 24 of 26 on the year. Taylor Sander combined for a .471 weekend attack (29-5-51). The Cougars have a 2.5-match lead in the conference race over Long Beach State with seven to play. BYU owns tiebreakers over Pepperdine (5-3 head-to-head sets), as well as Stanford, UCI, and USC (all 2-0 head-to-head matches).
STANFORD (11-7 MPSF/14-7 Overall) Brian Cook hit .400 (34-8-65) over a two-match series win over Hawaii this past weekend. In match two on Saturday, the Cardinal earned their first five-set win of the season in six tries, as Cook delivered a double-double on 21 kills (.444) and 13 digs. Tied for fifth and one back from the top-four, Stanford is next in action on Mar. 27 vs. USC. Stanford thus far has tiebreakers over CSN (2-0 head-to-head matches), Hawaii (2-0 head-to-head matches), and UCSB (5-3 head-to-head sets).
UC SANTA BARBARA (12-6 MPSF/13-6 Overall) fought back from a two-set hole at home last Wednesday against USC to win 3-2. Jonah Seif set five players to double-figure kills, on 55 assists and a .341 team offense. He shared a match-high 12 digs for the double-double, to go along with three blocks and two aces. Evan Licht had 15 kills, seven digs, and three aces. The Gauchos hold a tiebreaker over Hawaii (2-0 head-to-head matches).
USC (11-8 MPSF/12-8 Overall) earned a road split with a four-set outcome at UCLA. The Trojans received a 20-kill night on a .410 clip from Lucas Yoder, while Maddison McKibbin added 12 kills (.360) and eight digs. Micah Christenson finished with 49 assists, 10 digs, and three aces. Currently holding the eighth and final playoff ticket, USC is within 1.5 matches of the top-four with five to play on its conference schedule. The Trojans hold a tiebreaker over Hawaii (2-0 head-to-head matches).
UC IRVINE (11-8 MPSF/14-9 Overall) earned a sweep at Cal Baptist last Wednesday, as Connor Hughes tallied 16 kills with a .500 clip. The Anteaters hit .358 overall. Five matches remain for the Anteaters, beginning Mar. 26 at home against CS Northridge. UCI has clinched two-way tiebreakers over Hawaii (2-0 head-to-head matches), UCSB (2-0 head-to-head matches), Pepperdine (4-3 head-to-head sets), and USC (+5 head-to-head points).
CS NORTHRIDGE (6-10 MPSF/7-12 Overall) pulled out a five-set win over Ohio State in the Active Ankle Tournament in Long Beach. Sam Holt had an all-around match of 27 kills (.333), six digs, three aces, and two blocks. Bradley Sakaida picked up 16 digs in the win, along with 10 in the Penn State match. The Matadors are at Pepperdine and USC this week.
UC SAN DIEGO (1-18 MPSF/2-19 Overall) Garrett Dempsey dished 50 assists in leading a .345 team attack, and picked up 11 digs for the double-double in the Tritons' first MPSF win of the year over Cal Baptist last Thursday. UCSD came back from 2-1 down in sets. Mike Brunsting had 16 kills (.367), seven digs, and five aces. He added 11 kills and eight digs at BYU.
UCLA (11-7 MPSF/14-8 Overall) is off until visiting Cal Baptist and BYU, Mar. 27 & 29. The Bruins have six to play, tied for fifth and one match from the top-four. UCLA holds tiebreakers over Stanford (2-0 head-to-head on MPSF matches), UC Irvine (2-0 head-to head MPSF matches), USC (4-3 head-to-head MPSF sets) and UCSB (+2 head-to-head points).
HAWAII (9-9 MPSF/11-8 Overall) completes its four-match Northern California swing Monday and Tuesday (Mar. 17-18) at Pacific. Brook Sedore accumulated a series-high 42 points at Stanford (5.25 P/S). Entering the week, the Warriors are 1.5 back from the final playoff spot. They hold tiebreakers over UCLA and Northridge (each on 2-0 head-to-head MPSF matches).
CAL BAPTIST (2-15 MPSF/4-17 Overall) Johannes Brink had a 21-kill, 13-dig double-double at UC San Diego.
PACIFIC (1-15 MPSF/2-17 Overall) hosts Hawaii in a Monday-Tuesday series, before a 10-day break.