Post by fingrbustr on Apr 12, 2007 17:43:26 GMT -5
April 11th 2007
Tournament Spot On The Line This Week For Matadors at #1 Pepperdine, #12 USC
MATADOR VOLLEYBALL THIS WEEK:
Match #30 #8 Northridge at #1 Pepperdine • Thursday, April 12 • Firestone Fieldhouse • Malibu • 7 p.m.
Match #31 #8 Northridge at #12 USC • Saturday, April 14 • Lyon Center • Los Angeles • 7 p.m.
MATADORS CLOSE REGULAR SEASON AT TOP-RANKED PEPPERDINE, #14 USC THIS WEEK
Eighth-ranked Cal State Northridge (16-13, 10-10 MPSF) looks to solidify a berth in the MPSF Tournament as the Matadors wrap up the regular season with matches at top-ranked Pepperdine (23-1, 19-1) on Thursday and No. 12 USC (12-13, 9-11) on Saturday. Northridge needs a win or a Pacific loss at home to BYU to make its sixth-straight postseason appearance.
NORTHRIDGE ON THE NET
Cory Bluemling, the voice of Matador men’s volleyball, will call all the action for Saturday’s match at USC. Thursday’s match at Pepperdine will be available via the GameTracker feature at Pepperdinesports.com.
MPSF PLAYOFF PICTURE
With one win in their final two regular season matches, the Matadors can assure themselves a spot in the MPSF Tournament for the sixth-straight season. Northridge would also earn a spot if Pacific loses either of its two matches against BYU. As it stands now, the Matadors, Hawai’i, USC and Pacific are all fighting for the final three spots in the MPSF Tournament. Hawai’i hosts Stanford for two matches this weekend, while USC hosts UC Santa Barbara and Northridge. If the Matadors lose both of their matches this week and Pacific beats BYU twice, both teams would have 10 conference wins but Pacific would earn the playoff spot based on tiebreakers.
MATADORS SLIP TO EIGHTH IN CSTV/AVCA TOP 15 POLL
After jumping three spots in the last two weeks, Northridge dropped one spot to eighth in this week’s CSTV/AVCA poll released Apr. 9. Northridge earned 138 points in this week’s poll, a three-point increase from last week despite losing in three games at UC Santa Barbara. Northridge picked up a season-high 155 points in the Feb. 5 poll when the Matadors were ranked a season-high sixth. Pepperdine (23-1) remained in the top spot for the eightth straight week receiving 15 of 16 first-place votes. BYU (20-5) moved up to second this week followed UC Irvine (22-5), UCLA (17-10) and UC Santa Barbara (18-10). Ohio State (21-2) moved up to sixth this week followed by Penn State (19-6), the Matadors (16-13), IPFW (17-6) and Hawai’i (11-13). Spots 11-15 in this weeks poll are occupied by Loyola-Chicago (21-6), Long Beach State (11-15), USC (12-13), Pacific (14-15) and Ball State (14-11).
NEWCOMERS MAKE IMMEDIATE IMPACT
With another solid recruiting class, head coach Jeff Campbell knows more and more freshmen will earn playing time in the future. With true freshmen Sean Carter, Mike Gaudino, Ali’i Keohohou and Sean Pedersen all playing important roles this season that time is now. Carter has earned 16 starts at libero with Keohohou earning nine before going down for the season with a broken leg. Pedersen has started the last 12 matches and 16 overall as the Northridge setter and Gaudino has earned eight starts at the outside hitter spot. Redshirt freshmen Kevin McKniff and Theo Edwards have also contributed in their first season on the active roster.
MATADORS NAIL DOWN 11-4 HOME RECORD
With victories over Stanford and Pacific, the Matadors finished the home season with a record of 11-4 (.733). The 11 wins at home is the third-most in 30 seasons of men’s volleyball at Northridge. The 1991 Northridge squad won 13 times at home and the 2004 team won 12 home matches. After dropping their first three home matches this season (#1 UC Irvine, #3 UCLA, #4 Pepperdine), the Matadors won 10 of their last 11 home matches. There is still a chance Northridge could host the MPSF Tournament Play-In match, but only if the Matadors finish seventh.
ON THE ROAD FOR APRIL
The Matadors will play all three regular season matches and possibly some postseason matches all on the road in April. Should Northridge finish seventh in the final MPSF standings, the Matadors would host the 7-8 play-in match next Wed. April 18. Northridge, 3-8 on the road this season, closes the regular season at Pepperdine and USC before learning its postseason fate.
NORTHRIDGE NOTEBOOK
With eight aces over the last three matches, sophomore Eric Vance has moved into seventh-place on the Matadors single season list in aces with 41. With 67 aces in his young career, Vance is just 11 away from the Northridge career top 10 ... Northridge has posted just three double-doubles as a team this season (one each from Isaac Kneubuhl, Mike Gaudino and Eric Vance). Senior Dan Rhodes, who had five double-doubles last season, has yet to record one in 2007 ... The Matadors are now 7-13 this season against ranked teams after falling at No. 5 UC Santa Barbara last week ... Northridge is 16-3 (.842) when out-hitting its opponents, but 0-10 when being out-hit ... by virtue of winning the MPSF regular season, Pepperdine will host the conference Tournament for the fourth time in the last six years.
SCOUTING PEPPERDINE
The top-seeded Waves (23-1, 19-1 MPSF) defeated Stanford (3-1) and No. 14 Pacific (3-0) last week to run their winning streak to 20 straight matches. The only loss for Pepperdine this season came on Jan. 19 against Long Beach State. Northridge is won of five teams to stretch Pepperdine to five games as the Matadors fell 43-45, 30-23, 23-30, 30-25, 15-9 in Northridge on Jan. 31. Sophomore Paul Carroll leads the Waves with 499 kills (5.67 kpg) while hitting .373. Jonathan Winder averages 13.30 assists per game while Pepperdine is hitting .346 as a team. Marv Dunphy (449-171) is in his 24th season as the head coach at Pepperdine. The Matadors are 5-24 all-time in matches played at Firestone Fieldhouse.
SCOUTING USC
The Trojans (12-13, 9-11 MPSF) need one win or a Pacific loss this week to qualify for their first MPSF Tournament berth since 2001. Last week, USC won in five games at No. 14 Pacific and in four games at Stanford. The Trojans host No. 5 UC Santa Barbara on Thursday before the Matadors come in on Saturday. Junior Juan Figueroa leads USC in kills (454) and kills per game (4.88) while C.J. Schellenberg averages 3.63 kpg. The Trojans are hitting .275 as a team and are 5-6 at home. Bill Ferguson (12-13) is in his first season as the head coach at USC. The Matadors won in four games in this season’s first meeting on Feb. 2 and have won the last seven matches between the two teams. Northridge is 6-14 all-time at USC.
- GO MATADORS -
Tournament Spot On The Line This Week For Matadors at #1 Pepperdine, #12 USC
MATADOR VOLLEYBALL THIS WEEK:
Match #30 #8 Northridge at #1 Pepperdine • Thursday, April 12 • Firestone Fieldhouse • Malibu • 7 p.m.
Match #31 #8 Northridge at #12 USC • Saturday, April 14 • Lyon Center • Los Angeles • 7 p.m.
MATADORS CLOSE REGULAR SEASON AT TOP-RANKED PEPPERDINE, #14 USC THIS WEEK
Eighth-ranked Cal State Northridge (16-13, 10-10 MPSF) looks to solidify a berth in the MPSF Tournament as the Matadors wrap up the regular season with matches at top-ranked Pepperdine (23-1, 19-1) on Thursday and No. 12 USC (12-13, 9-11) on Saturday. Northridge needs a win or a Pacific loss at home to BYU to make its sixth-straight postseason appearance.
NORTHRIDGE ON THE NET
Cory Bluemling, the voice of Matador men’s volleyball, will call all the action for Saturday’s match at USC. Thursday’s match at Pepperdine will be available via the GameTracker feature at Pepperdinesports.com.
MPSF PLAYOFF PICTURE
With one win in their final two regular season matches, the Matadors can assure themselves a spot in the MPSF Tournament for the sixth-straight season. Northridge would also earn a spot if Pacific loses either of its two matches against BYU. As it stands now, the Matadors, Hawai’i, USC and Pacific are all fighting for the final three spots in the MPSF Tournament. Hawai’i hosts Stanford for two matches this weekend, while USC hosts UC Santa Barbara and Northridge. If the Matadors lose both of their matches this week and Pacific beats BYU twice, both teams would have 10 conference wins but Pacific would earn the playoff spot based on tiebreakers.
MATADORS SLIP TO EIGHTH IN CSTV/AVCA TOP 15 POLL
After jumping three spots in the last two weeks, Northridge dropped one spot to eighth in this week’s CSTV/AVCA poll released Apr. 9. Northridge earned 138 points in this week’s poll, a three-point increase from last week despite losing in three games at UC Santa Barbara. Northridge picked up a season-high 155 points in the Feb. 5 poll when the Matadors were ranked a season-high sixth. Pepperdine (23-1) remained in the top spot for the eightth straight week receiving 15 of 16 first-place votes. BYU (20-5) moved up to second this week followed UC Irvine (22-5), UCLA (17-10) and UC Santa Barbara (18-10). Ohio State (21-2) moved up to sixth this week followed by Penn State (19-6), the Matadors (16-13), IPFW (17-6) and Hawai’i (11-13). Spots 11-15 in this weeks poll are occupied by Loyola-Chicago (21-6), Long Beach State (11-15), USC (12-13), Pacific (14-15) and Ball State (14-11).
NEWCOMERS MAKE IMMEDIATE IMPACT
With another solid recruiting class, head coach Jeff Campbell knows more and more freshmen will earn playing time in the future. With true freshmen Sean Carter, Mike Gaudino, Ali’i Keohohou and Sean Pedersen all playing important roles this season that time is now. Carter has earned 16 starts at libero with Keohohou earning nine before going down for the season with a broken leg. Pedersen has started the last 12 matches and 16 overall as the Northridge setter and Gaudino has earned eight starts at the outside hitter spot. Redshirt freshmen Kevin McKniff and Theo Edwards have also contributed in their first season on the active roster.
MATADORS NAIL DOWN 11-4 HOME RECORD
With victories over Stanford and Pacific, the Matadors finished the home season with a record of 11-4 (.733). The 11 wins at home is the third-most in 30 seasons of men’s volleyball at Northridge. The 1991 Northridge squad won 13 times at home and the 2004 team won 12 home matches. After dropping their first three home matches this season (#1 UC Irvine, #3 UCLA, #4 Pepperdine), the Matadors won 10 of their last 11 home matches. There is still a chance Northridge could host the MPSF Tournament Play-In match, but only if the Matadors finish seventh.
ON THE ROAD FOR APRIL
The Matadors will play all three regular season matches and possibly some postseason matches all on the road in April. Should Northridge finish seventh in the final MPSF standings, the Matadors would host the 7-8 play-in match next Wed. April 18. Northridge, 3-8 on the road this season, closes the regular season at Pepperdine and USC before learning its postseason fate.
NORTHRIDGE NOTEBOOK
With eight aces over the last three matches, sophomore Eric Vance has moved into seventh-place on the Matadors single season list in aces with 41. With 67 aces in his young career, Vance is just 11 away from the Northridge career top 10 ... Northridge has posted just three double-doubles as a team this season (one each from Isaac Kneubuhl, Mike Gaudino and Eric Vance). Senior Dan Rhodes, who had five double-doubles last season, has yet to record one in 2007 ... The Matadors are now 7-13 this season against ranked teams after falling at No. 5 UC Santa Barbara last week ... Northridge is 16-3 (.842) when out-hitting its opponents, but 0-10 when being out-hit ... by virtue of winning the MPSF regular season, Pepperdine will host the conference Tournament for the fourth time in the last six years.
SCOUTING PEPPERDINE
The top-seeded Waves (23-1, 19-1 MPSF) defeated Stanford (3-1) and No. 14 Pacific (3-0) last week to run their winning streak to 20 straight matches. The only loss for Pepperdine this season came on Jan. 19 against Long Beach State. Northridge is won of five teams to stretch Pepperdine to five games as the Matadors fell 43-45, 30-23, 23-30, 30-25, 15-9 in Northridge on Jan. 31. Sophomore Paul Carroll leads the Waves with 499 kills (5.67 kpg) while hitting .373. Jonathan Winder averages 13.30 assists per game while Pepperdine is hitting .346 as a team. Marv Dunphy (449-171) is in his 24th season as the head coach at Pepperdine. The Matadors are 5-24 all-time in matches played at Firestone Fieldhouse.
SCOUTING USC
The Trojans (12-13, 9-11 MPSF) need one win or a Pacific loss this week to qualify for their first MPSF Tournament berth since 2001. Last week, USC won in five games at No. 14 Pacific and in four games at Stanford. The Trojans host No. 5 UC Santa Barbara on Thursday before the Matadors come in on Saturday. Junior Juan Figueroa leads USC in kills (454) and kills per game (4.88) while C.J. Schellenberg averages 3.63 kpg. The Trojans are hitting .275 as a team and are 5-6 at home. Bill Ferguson (12-13) is in his first season as the head coach at USC. The Matadors won in four games in this season’s first meeting on Feb. 2 and have won the last seven matches between the two teams. Northridge is 6-14 all-time at USC.
- GO MATADORS -