April 29, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

PEPPERDINE (16-10 overall/12-10 MPSF) erased a 2-0 deficit in games, in addition to a championship point against them, in edging No. 2 BYU in five in the MPSF Finals last Saturday. The Waves surprised top-seed Long Beach State in Thursday's semi-finals with a 3-0 win. Earlier in the year, the Waves were swept in the Pyramid. Senior First-Team All-American Jonathan Winder was named tournament MVP and junior First-Team All-MPSF selection Paul Carroll was named to the all-tournament team. Junior JD Schleppenbach was also named all-tournament. Winder dished out 63 assists and picked up 15 digs, his seventh double-double on the year. Carroll knocked down 27 kills and had 10 digs, and totaled 48 kills in the two matches (6.00 KPG). The Waves are the No. 2 seed at the NCAA Final Four and again meet No. 3 seed Long Beach State in the semi-finals, Thursday (May 1) in UC Irvine's Bren Center. Pepperdine has won two of three meetings this year with every outcome 3-0. The winner of this match meets the Ohio State-Penn State winner in Saturday's national championship.

LONG BEACH STATE (23-6 overall/18-4 MPSF) received the No. 3 seed as the NCAA At-Large selection, and gets another shot at No. 2 seed Pepperdine in an NCAA Semi-Final Thursday. The Waves eliminated the 49ers 3-0 in the MPSF semi-finals last Thursday in the Pyramid. Sophomore Dean Bittner's 17-kill and five-block performance in that match was good enough to earn all-tournament honors.

BYU (25-5 overall/18-4 MPSF) was the MPSF Tournament runner-up after a 3-2 loss to Pepperdine. Seniors Jonathan Charette and Ivan Perez both tallied 20 kills in the finals and were named to the all-tournament team. Perez also registered 16 kills in the 3-0 semi-final win over CS Northridge last Thursday. Seniors Russell Holmes had 13 kills and five blocks and Trent Sorensen added a 12-kill/5-block outing in their final matches. Holmes was later named First-Team All-American, while Perez took second-team honors. The Cougars finished the year 25-5 overall and tied for first-place in this year's MPSF standings.

CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE (23-7 overall/17-5 MPSF) had its memorable season come to end with a 3-0 MPSF Semi-Final loss to No. 2 BYU last Thursday on the Long Beach State campus. Junior First-Team All-MPSF Eric Vance was named to the all-tournament team following a 16 kill evening against the Cougars. The Matadors placed third in the conference this year and were 23-7 overall.