49ers Hit The Road for Two
No.-9 Ranked Beach Travels to USC and Pepperdine
January 15, 2007 PDF VERSION OF THIS RELEASE THE RECORDS
•Beach 3-1 overall, 1-0 in MPSF
No. 9-ranked Long Beach State won its conference opener with a three-game home sweep over UC San Diego on Friday night, improving to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the MPSF. The 49ers will take a three-game winning streak into the week as they continue MPSF play on the road. LBSU will travel to No. 14-ranked USC on Wednesday and No. 4-ranked Pepperdine on Friday with both matches set to start at 7 pm. In last week's action, Pepperdine (2-0, 1-0) defeated USC (1-3, 0-1) in four sets (26-30, 30-18, 31-29, 30-25) on Friday evening. On Tuesday, Pepperdine won its season opener against Cal Baptist 30-27, 30-22, 30-25.
THE COACH
• Alan Knipe enters his seventh year as head coach
Alan Knipe (LBSU, 1992) is 124-66 (.653) overall and 79-49 (.617) in the MPSF in six-plus years as the head coach of Long Beach State. Knipe eclipsed the 100-victory plateau on January 6, 2006 with a win over Cal State Northridge. Knipe, the 2004 AVCA National Coach of the Year, has led the 49ers to six consecutive trips to the MPSF Tournament, an appearance in the 2004 NCAA Championship match, and three straight MPSF Tournament Finals appearances (2004-2006). In the last three years (2004-2006), Knipe has a 73-27 record for an impressive .730 winning percentage. The 49ers have had at least 22 wins in each of the last three seasons. Knipe was an assistant at LBSU for five years before taking over the program in 2001.
THE SERIES
•49ers trail series with USC 47-40
• 49ers trail series with Pepperdine 38-33
Long Beach State trails in its series with USC by a 47-40 count and have won the last 13 meetings between the two. Last year the 49ers won 30-23, 30-28, 30-19 at the UCSB/E-Bar Tournament, 31-33, 30-18, 30-20, 30-26 in Long Beach, and 30-27, 30-25, 27-30, 30-22 in Los Angeles. LBSU also trails in its series with Pepperdine by a 38-33 count, but won their last meeting in 2006. Last year, the 49ers lost 25-30, 22-30, 30-26, 28-30 in Long Beach and won 30-18, 30-23, 30-28 in Malibu.
49ERS ROLL PAST UCSD
•49ers defeat UCSD in three
Long Beach State opened MPSF play with a three-game sweep over UC San Diego. Game scores were 30-20, 30-23, 30-22. Three 49ers recorded double digits in kills, led by Paul Lotman who pounded down 15 kills for a .407 clip. Norm Hutton added 13 kills, hitting .455, and Teddy Liles chipped in 10 kills as he hit .500. Dustin Watten patrolled the back row with a game-high 12 digs and Conor Eaton directed the 49er offense to a .396 hitting percentage as he dished out 44 assists. The 49ers outblocked the Tritons 13.0-6.5.
USC FACTS
•Trojans 1-3 on the year
USC is 1-3 overall and 0-1 in the MPSF. Last week the Trojans lost their conference opener to Pepperdine in four games (26-30, 30-18, 31-29, 30-25). Outside hitter Juan Figueroa recorded a double-double for the Trojans in the losing effort with 19 kills and 13 digs. Oppposite C.J. Schellenberg chipped in 14 kills on the evening. On the year, Figueroa checks in at 4.06 kills and 2.12 digs per game, while Schellenberg is averaging 4.12 kills per game. Setter Jimmy Killian is averaging 12.75 assists per game. As a team, USC is hitting .302 and averaging 14.94 kills per game.
PEPPERDINE FACTS
•Waves 2-0 on the year
Pepperdine opened its season with two victories last week to improve to 2-0 overall and 1-0 in the MPSF. On Tuesday evening, the Waves cruised past Cal Baptist with a 30-27, 30-22, 30-25 victory. Outside hitter Paul Carrol pounded down 21 kills hitting an impressive .731 for the match. On Friday evening, the Waves took down USC in four games 26-30, 30-18, 31-29, 30-25. Pepperdine was again led by Carroll who recorded 27 kills for a .558 clip. Outside hitter Jon Parfitt chipped in 15 kills. On the year, Carroll is averaging 6.86 kills per game and is hitting .623.
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
•49ers tough to beat at Walter Pyramid
In 2006, Long Beach State posted a 12-3 record at the Walter Pyramid. Over the last three years (2004-2006) the 49ers have a 40-7 home record for an impressive .851 winning percentage. Overall since 1995, the 49ers are 140-35 (.800) at home.
49ERS STRONG ON OFFENSE
•Team averaging 15.06 kpg
The 49ers have been impressive on offense this year as they are hitting .285 and averaging 15.06 kills per game. Three attackers are hitting .300 or better, led by Teddy Liles (.407). Five players are also averaging more than 2.00 kpg, led by Paul Lotman (5.19 kpg).
LOTMAN LEADS IN KILLS
•Leads team with 83 kills
Junior Paul Lotman (Lakewood) has stepped up this season as he leads the 49ers in kills, averaging 5.19 kills per game. He has hit double-digits in kills in all four matches played thus far, with a career-high 29 kills against Stanford on January 5. Last week, Lotman pounded down 15 kills in the 49ers three game sweep of UC San Diego. Lotman hit an impressive .407 for the match. In the previous week, he hit a combined .405 (68-17-126) in the three matches played. On the year, Lotman is hitting .405 (83-21-153) and is also averaging 1.81 digs per game.
LILES A FORCE IN THE MIDDLE
•Liles has 22 blocks
Senior Teddy Liles (Tucson, AZ) is currently tied for the team lead with 22 blocks (1.38 bpg). Liles has also amassed 35 kills, averaging 2.19 kills per game. He is hitting .407 (35-13-54) on the year. Last week, Liles recorded 10 kills for a .500 clip against UC San Diego to go along with four blocks. Liles was a 2006 All-MPSF Honorable Mention selection. He currently ranks seventh on the career charts with a .419 hitting percentage and is No. 15 all-time in blocks with 301.
HUTTON A SOLID CONTRIBUTOR
•Second on team with 49 kills
Junior Norm Hutton (Huntington Beach), who had a strong finish to last season, has had a solid start in 2007. He has 49 kills and is averaging 3.50 kills per game. Hutton also leads the team with six aces. Last wek, Hutton recorded 13 kills as he hit .455 against UC San Diego. In the previous week, Hutton pounded down a season-high 23 kills against CS Northridge on January 5. Last season, Hutton was named the Sports Import/AVCA National Player of the Week on April 24, 2006.
EATON DIRECTS 49ER OFFENSE
•Averaging 12.50 apg
Freshman Conor Eaton (Dana Point), one of three potential starting setters, dished out 44 assists as he directed the 49er offense to a .396 hitting percentage against UC San Diego last week. In the previous week, Eaton averaged 11.91 assists per game in three matches played. On the year, Eaton has recorded 175 assists and is averaging 12.50 assists per game.
WATTEN LEADS IN DIGS
•Leads team with 2.13 dpg
Sophomore Dustin Watten (Long Beach) recorded 12 digs in the 49ers win over UC San Diego. Earlier this year, Watten recorded a career-high 16 digs against Stanford on January 5. He currently leads the 49ers with 32 total digs and a 2.13 digs per game average.
BITTNER ADDS THREAT IN MIDDLE
•Leads team with 1.57 bpg
Redshirt freshman Dean Bittner (Lakewood) is tied for the team lead with 22 total blocks. He recorded seven kills and six blocks against UC San Diego last week. He also saw some action in the 49ers opening weekend of play as he hit .360 (24-6-50) and had 16 blocks in three matches played. Bittner is averaging 2.21 kills per game, a team leading 1.57 blocks per game, and is hitting .364 on the year.
CHRISTENSEN SEES ACTION
•Career-high eight kills vs. Pacific
Sophomore Gavin Christensen (Long Beach), who saw limited action as a freshman in 2006, recorded three kills and nine digs against UC San Diego last week. He also had 15 kills and eight digs in two matches at the UCSB/E-Bar Tournament. He recorded a career-high eight kills against Pacific for a very impressive .538 (8-1-13) hitting percentage. On the year, Christensen is averaging 1.64 kills per game, 1.55 digs per game, and is hitting .262 (18-7-42).
FABRY ADDS PUNCH
•Averaging 2.43 kpg
Sophomore Daniel Fabry (Parkridge, IL) recorded a career-high 13 kills in the 49ers victory over Stanford on January 5. In two games played against CS Northridge (1/5), Fabry had four kills and a .333 (4-1-9) hitting percentage. He is averaging 2.43 kpg and is hitting .293.
LAST SEASON
•49ers finish 2006 campaign at 23-10
The 49ers had a strong run in the MPSF Tournament last season as they made it to the finals, only to lose to eventual NCAA Champion UCLA. The 49ers defeated BYU in the quarterfinals 30-21, 30-23, 25-30, 30-25. Then, in the semifinals, Long Beach defeated No. 1-ranked UC Irvine in three sets 30-26, 30-20, 30-23. In the MPSF finals, the 49ers lost to UCLA in four games (24-30, 30-28, 30-23, 30-24). Long Beach finished the season at 23-10 overall and 14-8 in MPSF, good enough for a fourth place finish. The 49ers finished the season ranked third by the AVCA.
2006 HONORS
•Beach loses three All-Americans
Long Beach State saw three players earn All-America honors in 2006. Tyler Hildebrand and Robert Tarr were both selected to the first team. Hildebrand was a three-time first team All-American while Tarr was a two-time first team selection. Duncan Budinger was named second team All-America in 2006 as well. On the all-MPSF team, Hildebrand earned first team honors for the third consecutive season. Tarr was also named first team all-conference and Budinger was second team all-conference. Teddy Liles earned honorable mention honors.
2007 Roster
2007 Schedule/Results
|
