NINERS CLOSE OUT REGULAR SEASON THIS WEEK PDF VERSION of this RELEASE 15-12, 9-11 MPSF
Home: 9-5 • Away: 4-6 • Neutral: 2-1
No. 8 AVCA
Quickly:
The No. 8 ranked men's volleyball team (15-12, 9-11) is fighting for an MPSF playoff berth in the final week of the regular season. Long Beach State plays its final home match of the year versus #7 CS Northridge (17-10, 11-9) on Wednesday, April 9 at 7:30. LBSU plays its final regular season match at UC Santa Barbara on the 11th. The Niners have dropped four straight matches, but holds the tie-breaker over UCLA for the final playoff position.
CS Northridge 411:
Junior Scott Arneson had a match-high 14 kills as No. 8 Cal State Northridge took care of La Verne, 30-12, 30-18, 30-18 Friday night in a non-conference match in the Matadome. With the win, Northridge improves to 17-10 overall, while the Leopards fall to 11-15. Arneson hit .458 for the match, while Nate Allen added eight kills in his first match action of the season. The Matadors rested many of their regulars in the match but still hit .398 as a team. Brian Waite hit .500 with seven kills and Stan Douglas and Cary Hansen each chipped in five kills. No Northridge player hit less than .250 in the match.
UCSB 411:
In a four-game battle at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu Saturday, the Gauchos fell to the University of Hawaii Warriors, 30-24, 30-27, 27-30, 30-23. Fifteenth-ranked UC Santa Barbara declined to a 9-19 record overall, 4-16 in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, while second-ranked Hawaii improved to 21-5 for the season, 15-5 in conference play.
Recapping the Week:
vs. Stanford 4/4
The No. 6 ranked Long Beach State 49er men's volleyball team dropped its fourth straight match, after a 3-1 loss to the No. 10 ranked Stanford Cardinal at The Pyramid Friday night. Game scores were 30-27, 27-30, 30-28, 30-28. The loss dropped Long Beach State to 15-12 (9-11 MPSF), while the win pushed Stanford's record to 13-11 (10-8 MPSF). Kurt Toppel paced The Cardinal with a match-best 30 kills for a .500 hitting percentage. William Strickland added 12 kills to round out the top Stanford scoring. Scott Touzinsky led the 49ers with 22 kills, while Robert Tarr (18 kills), Duncan Budinger (12 kills), Jeff Wootton (11 kills), and David Lee (11 kills), highlighted the top LBSU scoring. The Cardinal hit .409 for the match and out-blocked The Beach 13.0-9.0.
vs. Pacific 4/3
The No. 6 ranked Long Beach State 49er men's volleyball team fell to the No. 4 ranked Pacific Tigers, 3-2, at The Pyramid Thursday night. Game scores were 25-30, 30-28, 36-34, 25-30, 15-12. The loss dropped Long Beach State to 15-11 (9-10 MPSF), while the win pushed Pacific's overall record to 17-10 (11-7 MPSF). Scott Touzinsky reached his 1,000th career kill after posting a career-high 32. Touzinsky became just the 12th player in Long Beach State history to record 1,000 or more kills. Touzinsky also added 12 digs, for his fifth double-double of the season. Tyler Hildebrand, one of the nation's assist leader's, recorded a career-best 88 assists. Jeff Wootton (21 kills, 10 digs), Robert Tarr (12 kills), and David Lee (11 kills), rounded out the top 49er scoring. Five Tigers reached double figures in kills – Aaron Wachtfogel (24 kills); Martin Bernsten (11); Brian Zodrow (10); Nils Daubers (13); and Sean Rodgers (17).
News & Notes Touzinsky Slams # 1,000:
Junior Scott Touzinsky became just the 12th player in school history to record 1,000 or more kills in a career after posting a career-best 32 kills versus Pacific on Thursday night (4/3). He leads the team this season averaging 4.67 kills per game and has posted five double-doubles as well.
Hildebrand Nearing Record:
Setter Tyler Hildebrand broke the 1K 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). He tallied 158 assists in two matches vs. UOP and Stanford (April 3 &4), including a personal-high 88 versus the Tigers on 4/3. His 1,413 assists this season are are currently the second highest in the program's history for a freshman (Chris Seiffert - 1,578 (‘97); Tyler Hildebrand - 1,413 (‘03); Jason Stimpfig - 1,043 (‘90). They are the only freshmen in school history to record 1,000 or more assists.
Season Highs:
The 49ers set season-highs (for a five-game match) in kills (94), hitting pct. (.387), and assists (92) versus Pacific on April 3.
Budinger's Clip:
Freshman Duncan Budinger's .439 hitting percentage (thru 27 matches) is currently the third highest attack percentage for a freshman (in a single season) in school history (Brett Winslow - .445 (‘98); Dustin McCappin - .440 (‘00).
Lee Moves up to 5th All-Time
Registering a .477 hitting percentage this season, David Lee has moved up to 5th place all-time for career hitting percentage at .408, passing Gaby Amar. Furthermore, Lee's .477 hitting percentage is currently the second highest for a junior (in a single season) in school history (Matt Prosser -.489 (‘00); David Lee - .477 (‘03); Brett Winslow - .460 (‘90).
Wootton's Way:
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 19 times. In fact he has had 20 or more kills five 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 3.44 kills per game this season.
Triple Threat:
Jeff Wootton, Scott Touzinsky, and David Lee have combined for 1,115 of the team's 1,752 total kills this season (64%).
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 2.16 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 .439 hitting pct. Tyler Hildebrand has been a steady force at the setter position, averaging 15.03 assists per game. Hildebrand also set a personal-best 88 assists versus Pacific on April 3. 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 3.81 kills and 1.49 digs per game, and has recorded double-digits in kills 12 times.
Touzinsky Joins Elite Company:
Scott Touzinsky, who has recorded at least one or more service aces in 17 out the 27 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 29 aces this season, has compiled 115 career aces, 17 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.
Second in the Nation:
Moreover, Hildebrand ranks second in the Nation (as of 4/3) in assists per game (15.03).
Other Nat'l Leaders (As of 4/3):
David Lee ranks No. 4 in Hitting Pct. (.477) ... Duncan Budinger ranks No. 14 (.431) ... Scott Touzinsky ranks No. 11 in kills per game (4.54)...Lee ranks No. 12 in blocks per game (1.19)
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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