Post by bigfan on May 2, 2005 9:18:28 GMT -5
LBSU's season spiked by committee
Only NCAA at-large berth goes to UCLA.
Thursday, the NCAA men's volleyball national semifinals will be held at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion, but the hottest team in the nation was not invited to the party.
With wins in 13 of its final 16 matches down the stretch, Long Beach State had found its stride, beating both Pepperdine and UCLA at the Pyramid when the Waves and Bruins were ranked No. 1 in the nation. After starting the season 9-7, the 49ers (22-10) finished the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation regular season in fifth place and won at fourth-seeded Hawaii and defeated UCSB to advance to the finals of the MPSF tournament, where they fell to the host Waves in three games Saturday.
But their stellar play down the stretch was not enough, as the three-member selection committee chose UCLA (25-5) to fill the only at-large berth in the final four of men's volleyball.
The Bruins, who lost at home to Cal State Northridge in the MPSF tournament's first round after finishing second in the regular season, join MPSF regular-season and tournament champion Pepperdine, Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association champion Ohio State and Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association champion Penn State in the national semifinals.
"It was my belief that we had a great shot at getting in because there was already a precedent-setting case to follow," 49ers coach Alan Knipe said. "It's mind-boggling to think you cannot win a playoff game, and you get into the final four. I think that's wrong. If it's not wrong, then it's wrong what they did to the 49er team in 2000."
Five years ago, Knipe was an assistant on the LBSU team that was ranked first in the nation and top-seeded in the MPSF tournament, but those 49ers had lost outside hitter Jim Polster to an injury in the final regular-season match. They fell to Loyola Marymount in a first-round upset, which scuttled their NCAA chances with the committee based largely on the idea that without Polster the 49ers were no longer the same top-ranked team.
In a similar situation, this year's UCLA team lost setter Dennis Gonzalez to an injury before the playoffs. But the Bruins beat the 49ers in two of three meetings this season, and will make their 24th NCAA appearance.
"I guess the committee decided to go with overall record, and with head to head," Knipe said. "The committee decided to go with that, over the other (criteria) they could have used, which was health and availability of the student-athlete. … We're in the dark ages of men's volleyball when it comes to putting the best teams in the nation in the final four."
LBSU athletic director Bill Shumard, who was was part of the three-person selection committee, recused himself when LBSU was discussed.
Only NCAA at-large berth goes to UCLA.
Thursday, the NCAA men's volleyball national semifinals will be held at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion, but the hottest team in the nation was not invited to the party.
With wins in 13 of its final 16 matches down the stretch, Long Beach State had found its stride, beating both Pepperdine and UCLA at the Pyramid when the Waves and Bruins were ranked No. 1 in the nation. After starting the season 9-7, the 49ers (22-10) finished the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation regular season in fifth place and won at fourth-seeded Hawaii and defeated UCSB to advance to the finals of the MPSF tournament, where they fell to the host Waves in three games Saturday.
But their stellar play down the stretch was not enough, as the three-member selection committee chose UCLA (25-5) to fill the only at-large berth in the final four of men's volleyball.
The Bruins, who lost at home to Cal State Northridge in the MPSF tournament's first round after finishing second in the regular season, join MPSF regular-season and tournament champion Pepperdine, Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association champion Ohio State and Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association champion Penn State in the national semifinals.
"It was my belief that we had a great shot at getting in because there was already a precedent-setting case to follow," 49ers coach Alan Knipe said. "It's mind-boggling to think you cannot win a playoff game, and you get into the final four. I think that's wrong. If it's not wrong, then it's wrong what they did to the 49er team in 2000."
Five years ago, Knipe was an assistant on the LBSU team that was ranked first in the nation and top-seeded in the MPSF tournament, but those 49ers had lost outside hitter Jim Polster to an injury in the final regular-season match. They fell to Loyola Marymount in a first-round upset, which scuttled their NCAA chances with the committee based largely on the idea that without Polster the 49ers were no longer the same top-ranked team.
In a similar situation, this year's UCLA team lost setter Dennis Gonzalez to an injury before the playoffs. But the Bruins beat the 49ers in two of three meetings this season, and will make their 24th NCAA appearance.
"I guess the committee decided to go with overall record, and with head to head," Knipe said. "The committee decided to go with that, over the other (criteria) they could have used, which was health and availability of the student-athlete. … We're in the dark ages of men's volleyball when it comes to putting the best teams in the nation in the final four."
LBSU athletic director Bill Shumard, who was was part of the three-person selection committee, recused himself when LBSU was discussed.
Why not just take the winner, and then let the runner up throw their hat in the ring for the at large spot? ONCE AGAIN WHY PLAY THE TOURNAMENT?
;D
