LBSU TRAVELS TO BYU FOR TWO PDF VERSION of this RELEASE
15-8, 9-7 MPSF
Home: 9-3 • Away: 4-4 • Neutral: 2-1
No. 4 AVCA Quickly:
The No. 4 ranked men's volleyball team (15-8, 9-7) travels to Provo, UT for two matches versus the No. 3 ranked BYU Cougars (16-5, 14-4) on Friday, March 28 at 6:00 p.m., and Saturday, March 29 at 6:00 p.m. Despite having their six-match winning streak snapped at Pepperdine (3/20), the 49ers have won eight of their last 10 matches. Follow both matches live, via Live Stats on the BYU website:
http://www.byucougars.com/(go to the men's volleyball page and click on "schedule").
BYU 411:
Cal State Northridge overpowered the BYU men's volleyball team for the first time since 1996, snapping BYU's 12-match win streak over the Matadors in a 30-26, 36-38, 26-30, 24-30 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation contest Saturday night in Northridge.
Out of only five BYU losses this season, four have occurred on the second night of the two-match series with each team. Third-ranked BYU now holds a 16-5 (14-4 MPSF) record on the season, while tenth-ranked Northridge improves to 15-9 (10-8 MPSF) on the year. The Cougars scored 80 kills to the Matadors' 61 and out-blocked them 12.5 to 11.0, but once again the Cougars were hurt by errors, committing 30 attack and 24 service errors as a team.
The previous night, BYU out-blocked host CS Northridge 12.5 to 6.5 swept host CS Northridge 30-23, 32-30, 30-24 in a MPSF contest in the Matadome (3/21). The Cougars hit .422 (48-13-83) to the Matadors' .161 (39-35-87) and blocked nearly twice as much in the match, recording 12.5 team blocks compared to 6.5 for the Matadors.
Recapping the Week:
@ USC / March 22
The No. 4 ranked Long Beach State men's volleyball team recorded a 3-0 sweep over the USC Trojans, at the Lyon Center, on Saturday night. Game scores were 30-17, 30-27, 30-27. Freshman Robert Tarr recorded a match-best 17 kills and a .480 attack percentage. He also added eight digs, as well. Scott Touzinsky chipped in with 13 kills, five digs, and two blocks. Touzinsky has now recorded double-figure kills in 22 out of 23 matches this season. David Lee added seven kills, nine blocks, and a career-high three service aces, while setter Tyler Hildebrand recorded a match-high 43 assists. As a team, the 49ers registered a .393 hitting percentage (50-15-89), including a .464 and .469 attack percentage in the first two games, respectively. LBSU out-blocked the Trojans, 10.5-5.5.
@ Pepperdine / March 20
The No. 1 ranked Pepperdine men's volleyball team defeated the No. 4 ranked Long Beach State 49ers, 3-1, in MPSF play at the Firestone Fieldhouse, Thursday evening. Game scores were 30-26, 29-31, 30-20, 30-24, in favor of the Waves. The loss snapped the 49ers' six-match win streak. The win also gave the Waves the regular season series sweep over LBSU. Robert Tarr led The Beach with a team-high 15 kills. Tarr also added seven digs as well. Scott Touzinsky and Jeff Wootton both netted 12 kills each. Touzinsky also chipped in with a team-high eight digs. David Lee rounded out the top 49er scoring with 11 kills and a .733 attack percentage (11-0-15). Lee is now just one kill shy of reaching No. 600 for his career. As a team, the 49ers only mustered a .258 hitting percentage (58-24-132), and were out-blocked, 15.0-5.0.
News & Notes
Streak Stopped at Six:
LBSU lost to Pepperdine, 3-1 on 3/20, ending its six match-winning streak, the longest streak of the season...three were 3-0 sweeps, and three were 3-1 victories...The 49ers hit .400 or better in five out of the six matches.
Lee Reaches 600:
David Lee recorded his 600th career kill versus USC on 3/22.
Gunning for 1,000:
Junior Scott Touzinsky leads the team this season averaging 4.37 kills per game. He registered his 900th career kill vs. Penn State on March 15. He recorded his 800th career kill at Stanford, one month earlier on Feb. 14. Three other 49ers have hit for 900 or more kills: Robert Kutsch -966; John Brajevic -950; Alan Knipe -946. Touzinsky currently has 942 career kills, and needs just 58 more kills to become just the 12th player in the program's history to break 1,000 career kills.
Hildebrand Breaks 1,000:
Setter Tyler Hildebrand broke the century mark at the Beach Bash, and moved past Jason Stimpfig for No. 2 all-time for a frosh, registering his 1,000th assist vs. Penn State (3/15). His 1,146 assists this season are are currently the second highest in the program's history for a freshman (Chris Seiffert - 1,578 (‘97); Tyler Hildebrand - 1,146 (‘03); Jason Stimpfig - 1,043 (‘90). They are the only freshmen in school history to record 1,000 or more assists.
Budinger's Clip:
Freshman Duncan Budinger's .431 hitting percentage (thru 23 matches) is currently the third highest attack percentage for a freshman in school history (Brett Winslow - .445 (‘98); Dustin McCappin - .440 (‘00).
Lee Moves up to 5th All-Time
Registering a .474 hitting percentage this season, David Lee has moved up to 5th place all-time for career hitting percentage at .402, passing Gaby Amar. Furthermore, Lee's .474 hitting percentage is currently the second highest for a junior in school history (Matt Prosser -.489 (‘00); David Lee - .474 (‘03); Brett Winslow - .460 (‘90); Lee hit for a .630 clip versus Pepperdine and USC (3/20-22).
Wootton's Way to 700:
Junior co-captain Jeff Wootton established new career-bests in kills (29), and hitting percentage (.533) in the 3-1 victory over Stanford on 1/11. Wootton (29-5-45) finished the match with nine digs and five block assists. This season, Wootton has recorded double-digits in kills 15 times. In fact he has had 20 or more kills four times this season. He scored his first double-double of the season after registering 22 kills and 10 digs versus USC on Jan. 28. He registered his 700th career kill versus Pepperdine on March 20, and is averaging 3.53 kills per game this season.
Triple Threat:
Jeff Wootton, Scott Touzinsky, and David Lee have combined for 928 of the team's 1467 total kills this season (63%).
Fab Fresh:
Head coach Alan Knipe is receiving solid contributions from his three freshman in the line-up. Duncan Budinger has filled up the middle, averaging 2.18 kills per game. He set a personal-best 15 kills in the 3-1 victory over Stanford on 2/14, and is second on the team with a .431 hitting pct. Tyler Hildebrand has been a steady force at the setter position, averaging a conference-best 14.69 assists per game. Hildebrand also set a personal-best 79 assists versus Pepperdine on Jan. 31. Knipe inserted freshman Robert Tarr into the line-up for the first time this season versus UOP on 2/12. Tarr recorded a double-double with 17 kills and 11 digs in his LBSU debut. Tarr then recorded 21 kills and five digs versus Stanford the following night on 2/14. Tarr is already averaging 3.95 kills and 1.52 digs per game, and has recorded double-digits in kills nine times.
Touzinsky Joins Elite Company:
Scott Touzinsky, who has recorded at least one or more service aces in 16 out the 23 matches this season, joined Brent Hilliard as the only other player in Long Beach State history to record 100 or more service aces. Touzinsky, who has 26 aces this season, has compiled 112 career aces, 20 away from tying Hilliard.
Tourney MVP:
Scott Touzinsky was named the Beach Bash Tournament (3/14-15) MVP after registering 39 kills over two matches (5.571 kills/g). Jeff Wootton was named to the All-Tournament Team as well.
Leading the Nation:
Moreover, Hildebrand leads the Nation (as of 3/6) in assists per game (14.80).
Other Nat'l Leaders (As of 3/6):
David Lee ranks No. 7 in Hitting Pct. (.463) ... Duncan Budinger ranks No. 12 (.435) ... Scott Touzinsky ranks No. 11 in kills per game (4.44) ... Phillip White ranks No. 9 in digs per game (2.40)...Lee ranks No. 17 in blocks per game (1.24).
MPSF Extras:
As a team, LBSU has set MPSF highs in Assists (84), Kills (89), and Digs (65) vs. Pepperdine on 1/31...Individually, Hildebrand's 79 assists versus the Waves are an MPSF best this season, as well.
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