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The busiest day in the college men’s volleyball postseason is here with the MIVA Tournament and MPSF Tournament getting underway.
Pepperdine playing host to UC Santa Barbara highlights the four MPSF Tournament quarterfinals tonight. In addition, BYU after pulling off two upsets last week will attempt to pull off another one as it travels to USC.
Check out the all the college men’s volleyball postseason matches to follow tonight.
No. 1 seed UC Irvine (25-4, 19-3 MPSF) vs. No. 8 seed UCLA (13-13, 9-13 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Irvine, California
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
Season series: UC Irvine leads 2-0
Last MPSF Tournament title: UC Irvine (2012); UCLA (2006)
What to know: UC Irvine earned home court advantage throughout the MPSF Tournament and will now attempt to take advantage of it as it plays host to UCLA. The Anteaters ended the regular season on a seven-match winning streak to clinch its first conference regular season championship in more than five years. In addition, UC Irvine opposite Zack La Cavera was named the MPSF Player of the Year and a finalist for the inaugural Bryan Ivie Award for the nation’s top opposite. La Cavera finished the regular season second in the conference with a 3.72 kills per game average, including having a match-high 20 kills on a .447 attack percentage inthe team’s four-game win against UCLA in April. UCLA earned the final berth to the eight-team MPSF Tournament after beating Stanford in its regular season finale last week. The Bruins also led the nation with two players selected to the Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. Freshmen All-American Team. Outside attacker J.T. Hatch led all freshmen in the conference with a 2.85 kills per game average and was named the MPSF Freshman of the Year, while outside attacker Jake Arnitz added a 2.79 kills per game average.
No. 3 seed Pepperdine (22-5, 17-5 MPSF) vs. No. 6 seed UC Santa Barbara (18-9, 13-9 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Malibu, California
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
Season series: Tied at 1-1
Last MPSF Tournament title: Pepperdine (2005); UC Santa Barbara (2011)
What to know: Pepperdine doesn’t need to be reminded of what happened the last time it played at home against UC Santa Barbara. The Wavs after losing their regular season finale to the Gauchos last week will now play the rematch in the MPSF Tournament quarterfinals. That loss snapped Peppedine’s program-record 20-match home winning streak dating back to last season. However, the Waves are 12-2 at home in the MPSF Tournament during the rally scoring era, including being undefeated in home first-round matches. Pepperdine also had three players selected to the First-Team All-MPSF and named a finalist for a position-based national award earlier this week. Outside attacker Josh Taylor was a finalist for the Karch Kiraly Award, while opposite Parker Kalmbach was slected as a finalist for the Bryan Ivie Award. In addition, setter Matt West was one of three finalists for the Lloy Ball Award. UC Santa Barbara enters the postseason attempting to reach the MPSF Tournament semifinals for the second consecutive year. First-Team All-MPSF outside attacker Kevin Donohue also finished the regular season third in the nation with a 3.69 kills per game average and was one of three Gauchos to have a team-high 12 kills in the victory against Pepperdine.
No. 4 seed USC (18-8, 15-7 MPSF) vs. No. 5 seed BYU (17-9, 14-8 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Los Angeles
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
Season series: Tied at 1-1
Last MPSF Tournament title: BYU (2014); USC (2009)
What to know: All-American senior setter Micah Christenson gets one more chance to make a run at the only thing missing from his college resume — a NCAA championship. The Lloy Ball Award finalist and staring setter for the U.S. Men’s National Team will lead USC in a postseason home match against BYU. Christenson is among the national leaders with both a 10.59 assists per game average and 0.43 aces per game average. In addition, Christenson helped USC close out the regular season winning five of its final six matches to clinch the No. 4 seed. BYU earned the No. 5 seed after upsetting then-No. 1 Hawai’i on back-to-back nights last weekend. Freshman outside attacker Brenden Sander in the two victories had a combined 30 kills and was selected as the National Player of the Week. This will also be the second consecutive season the Trojans and Cougars have met in the conference tournament quarterfinals. BYU swept USC last season en route to repeating as MPSF champions.
No. 2 seed Hawai’i (23-5, 18-4 MPSF) vs. No. 7 seed Long Beach State (15-12, 11-11 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Honolulu
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, Radio feed, In-match tweets
Season series: Hawai’i leads 2-0
Last MPSF Tournament title: Hawai’i (never); Long Beach State (never)
What to know: Hawai’i will attempt to move one step closer to securing a possible spot in the NCAA Tournament as it plays host Long Beach State in the conference tournament quarterfinals. The Rainbow Warriors enter the postseason projected to be the No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament, according to the latest Off the Block bracketology. However, a loss to the 49ers could drastically hurt their chances at an at-large bid. Hawai’i is playing its first home postseason match since 2010 and is 8-3 all-time in home postseason matches. In addition, opposite Brook Sedore is among the MPSF leaders with a 3.46 kills per game and one of three finalists for the Bryan Ivie Award. This match will also feature two finalists for the Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. National Blocker of the Year. Long Beach State middle attacker Taylor Gregory leads the conference with a 1.53 blocks per game average, while Hawai’i middle attacker is second in the MPSF with a 1.31 blocks per game average.
MIVA TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINALS
No. 1 seed Lewis (24-2, 15-1 MIVA) vs. No. 8 seed Grand Canyon (14-16, 5-11 MIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Romeoville, Illinois
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
Season series: Lewis leads 2-0
Last MIVA Tournament title: Lewis (2012); Grand Canyon (never)
EIVA REGULAR SEASON MATCHES
No. 7 Penn State (17-9, 11-0 EIVA) vs. St. Francis (6-19, 4-7 EIVA)
Match vitals: 4 p.m. in Loretto, Pennsylvania
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
Harvard (12-11, 6-5 EIVA) vs. Sacred Heart (12-12, 3-8 EIVA)
Match vitals: 4 p.m. in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Follow live: Live stats
George Mason (13-12, 6-5 EIVA) vs. NJIT (11-12, 3-8 EIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Fairfax, Virginia
Follow live: Live stats, In-match tweets