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Check out all the postseason matches today involving NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball teams and how to follow them live.
MPSF TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINALS
No. 4 seed UC Irvine (19-6, 13-5 MPSF) vs. No. 5 seed UCLA (17-9, 10-9 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Irvine, California
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
Season series: Tied at 1-1
Last MPSF Tournament title: UC Irvine (2015); UCLA (2006)
What to know: The offense for No. 5/5 UC Irvine is postseason ready — just look at the last five weeks of the regular season. UC Irvine enters its conference tournament quarterfinals match against No. 6/6 UCLA on a eight-match winning streak and has hit more than .300 in each of those matches. The Anteaters are sixth in the nation with a .318 attack percentage, including hitting above their season average in a five-game victory against the Bruins in February. In addition, All-MPSF outside attacker Tamir Hershko had a season-high 23 kills while hitting .438 in that last meeting versus UCLA. Hershko leads the Anteaters and is among the nation’s leaders with a 3.22 kills per game average, while All-MPSF outside attacker Thomas Hodges is in the nation’s top 40 averaging 2.92 kills per game. Hodges also had at least 15 kills in three of the Anteaters final four regular season matches. Along with its pin-hitters, UC Irvine all-conference setter Michael Saeta is second in the nation with a 0.63 aces per game average. UCLA lost both matches of a two-match series against No. 4/4 Hawai’i last week to remain the No. 5 seed and open the conference tournament on the road. Despite having injuries to multiple All-American starters throughout the season, the Bruins ended the regular season third in the nation at a .329 attack percentage. All-MPSF outside attacker Jake Arnitz missed almost a month of the regular season but still led the Bruins averaging 3.45 kills per game. In one of his first game back from the injury, he finished with 13 kills on a .400 attack percentage in a loss to UC Irvine. This is a must-win match for both UC Irvine and UCLA, according to the Off the Block bracketology. The Anteaters and Bruins are among the first four teams out of the NCAA Tournament at-large bid race. However, both will likely need to win the conference tournament to reach NCAA Tournament, according to the bracketology.
No. 3 seed Hawai’i (24-4, 14-4 MPSF) vs. No. 6 seed Pepperdine (10-11, 8-10 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. 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); Pepperdine (2005)
What to know: No. 8/8 Pepperdine experienced just how difficult it is to win at No. 4/4 Hawai’i. The Rainbow Warriors will play host to the Waves in the opening round of the MPSF Tournament after going undefeated at home in the regular season that included two victories against Pepperdine. All-MPSF opposite Stijn van Tilburg led all players with a combined 32 kills on a .583 attack percentage in the regular season series. van Tilburg begins the postseason third with a 4.32 kills per game average but was held to three kills in the team’s regular season finale win versus No. 6/6 UCLA last week. All-MPSF setter Jennings Franciskovic also was named the MPSF Player of the Week after guiding the offense to a .304 attack percentage in a victory against UCLA last week that secured a playoff home match. Pepperdine outside attacker David Wieczorek is in the nation’s top 10 with a 3.89 kills per game average. The All-MPSF sophomore also has at least 15 kills in five of the last six matches, including a season-high 28 kills in a victory against UC San Diego last week.
No. 1 seed Long Beach State (24-3, 16-2 MPSF) vs. No. 8 seed USC (14-13, 8-10 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Long Beach, California
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, Radio feed, In-match tweets
Season series: Tied at 1-1
Last MPSF Tournament title: Long Beach State (never); USC (2009)
No. 2 seed BYU (23-3, 16-2 MPSF) vs. No. 7 seed Stanford (13-12, 8-10 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. in Provo, Utah
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, Radio feed, In-match tweets, TV (BYUtv)
Season series: BYU leads 2-0
Last MPSF Tournament title: BYU (2016); Stanford (2010)
MIVA TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINALS
No. 4 seed Ball State (18-9, 9-7 MIVA) vs. No. 5 seed Loyola (16-11, 9-7 MIVA)
Match vitals: 7:30 p.m. in Muncie, Indiana
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
Season series: Tied at 1-1
Last MIVA Tournament title: Ball State (2002); Loyola (2015)
What to know: No. 11 Ball State pulled off the near improbable last week to get a home postseason match, and now it gets No. 12/10 Loyola in the rematch. The two teams will face other in the conference tournament quarterfinals after the Cardinals swept the Ramblers and had a 20-point margin of victory in the regular season finale to win the tiebreaker and earn the No. 4 seed. This postseason match will also feature two of the top middle attackers in the nation. Ball State middle attacker Matt Walsh is second in the nation with a .441 attack percentage and third in the nation averaging 1.21 blocks per game. Walsh also had a team-high seven blocks and added seven kills on a .357 attack percentage in the recent victory against the Ramblers. Loyola middle attacker Jeff Jendryk has a nation-best .445 attack percentage and is in the nation’s top 10 with a 1.19 blocks per game average. In addition, Jendryk had a combined 13 kills and did not commit an attack error in the two regular season matches versus Ball State. Both Walsh and Jendryk were named to the First-Team All-MIVA earlier this week. Along with the middle attackers, Ball State outside attacker Matt Szews was selected as the 2017 Co-MIVA Freshman of the Year. Szews finished the regular season third in the conference with a 3.47 kills per game average. He also had a match-high 14 kills on a .400 attack percentage to help beat the Ramblers.
No. 3 seed Grand Canyon (17-10, 11-5 MIVA) vs. No. 6 seed McKendree (11-18, 6-10 MIVA)
Match vitals: 6 p.m. in Phoenix, Arizona
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
Season series: Grand Canyon leads 2-0
Last MIVA Tournament title: Grand Canyon (never); McKendree (never)
What to know: It took five years of waiting, but No. 14 Grand Canyon finally has another home postseason match — and in its final season before leaving the MIVA for the MPSF. Grand Canyon after having finishing a program-best third place in the MIVA will play host to McKendree in its second home playoff match in program history. The Antelopes concluded the regular season winning six of their final seven conference matches, including sweeping a two-match road series against McKendree in March. It also earned a spot in the national coaches poll for the first time in the program’s history. All-MPSF outside attacker Cullen Mosher leads Grand Canyon with a 2.36 kills per game average. In addition, Mosher had a match-high 24 kills and a .404 attack percentage in the five-game series-finale victory versus McKendree — one of two times this season he had more than 20 kills in a match. The Antelopes are 1-7 all-time in the MIVA Tournament and lost their only other home match in 2012. The Bearcats are attempting to pull off back-to-back upsets in the MIVA Tournament as a No. 6 seed. McKendree upset Ball State in the MIVA Tournament finals last season for its first postseason victory in program history. All-MIVA opposite Maalik Walker is fourth in the conference with a 3.43 kills per game average. Walker also has double-digit kills in nine matches against nationally ranked teams this season.
No. 1 seed Ohio State (27-2, 16-0 MIVA) vs. No. 8 seed Quincy (7-20, 2-14 MIVA)
Match vitals: 5 p.m. in Columbus, Ohio
Follow live: Live stats, Online video, In-match tweets
Season series: Ohio State leads 2-0
Last MIVA Tournament title: Ohio State (2016); Quincy (never)
No. 2 seed Lewis (22-6, 13-3 MIVA) vs. No. 7 seed Lindenwood (5-18, 4-12 MIVA)
Match vitals: 5 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); Lindenwood (never)