49ers Host UC San Diego in MPSF Opener
No.-10 Ranked Beach Home for One Match
January 10, 2007 PDF VERSION OF THIS RELEASE THE RECORDS
•Beach 2-1 overall, 0-0 in MPSF
Long Beach State opened their season last weekend at the UCSB/E-Bar Tournament. The 49ers lost their opening round match to then No. 9-ranked CS Northridge (2-3). They then went on to win their next two matches against Stanford (3-2) and No. 14 Pacific (3-0) to improve to 2-1 overall. This week the 49ers will open MPSF play as they host the UC San Diego Tritons on Friday evening at 7 pm. The Tritons (0-0, 0-0 MPSF) lost an exhibition match last week to Thompson Rivers University in three sets.
THE COACH
• Alan Knipe enters his seventh year at head coach
Alan Knipe (LBSU, 1992) is 123-66 (.651) overall and 78-49 (.614) 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, 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 lead series with UCSD, 44-3
Long Beach State leads in its series with UC San Diego by a 44-3 count and have won the last nine meetings between the two. Last year the 49ers won 30-24, 30-21, 30-21 in La Jolla and 30-25, 30-21, 30-27 in Long Beach.
EXHIBITION WIN
•49ers defeat Hope in exhibition game
Long Beach State defeated Hope International in four games in an exhibition match last week. Game scores were 30-24, 28-30, 30-19, 30-21. Paul Lotman and Norm Hutton combined for 48 kills on the night. Adam Schlesinger directed the 49er offense to a .323 hitting percentage with 56 assists. Schlesinger also recorded a game-high nine digs.
E-BAR RECAP
•49ers place fifth
The 49ers went into the opening weekend of play at the UCSB/E-Bar Collegiate Invitational as the number five seed and they met those expectations as they finished fifth. In the opener the 49ers lost a tough match to No. 4 seed CS Northridge (37-39, 30-27, 29-31, 30-28, 12-15). Paul Lotman recorded a career-high 29 kills. Long Beach then bounced back to defeat Stanford in five sets 30-22, 27-30, 22-30, 30-26, 15-13. Lotman led the 49ers with 17 kills and Dustin Watten had a career-high 16 digs. Freshman setter Conor Eaton recorded 63 assists. In the consolation championship match, the 49ers were able to defeat Pacific in three sets, 30-26, 30-28, 30-25. Lotman had a game-high 22 kills on only 33 attempts for a .515 hitting percentage. Gavin Christensen also hit an impressive .538 (8-1-13) for the match.
Other Results from the UCSB/E-Bar Tournament:
Championship Match: UCI def. UCLA, 3-0
Third Place Match: UCSB def. CSUN, 3-1
Fifth Place Match: LBSU def. Pacific, 3-0
Seventh Place Match: USC def. Stanford, 3-2
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 139-35 (.799) at home.
49ERS STRONG ON OFFENSE
•Team averaging 14.77 kpg
The 49ers have been impressive on offense this year as they are hitting .261 and averaging 14.77 kpg. Four attackers are hitting .300 or better, led by Paul Lotman (.405). Four players are also averaging more than 2.00 kpg, led by Lotman (5.23 kpg).
LOTMAN LEADS IN KILLS
•Leads team with 68 kills
Junior Paul Lotman (Lakewood) has stepped up this season as he leads the 49ers in kills, averaging 5.23 kpg. He hit double-digits in kills in all threematches played last week. In the 49ers opening match of the UCSB/E-Bar Tournament, Lotman had a career-high 29 kills in a five set loss to CS Northridge. He then had 17 kills in the second match of the day as LBSU defeated Stanford. Lotman pounded down 22 kills in the 49ers consolation championship victory against Pacific, hitting an impressive .515 (22-5-33). Lotman is hitting .405 on the season.
LILES A FORCE IN THE MIDDLE
•Liles has team leading 18 blocks
Senior Teddy Liles (Tucson, AZ) currently leads the team in blocking with 18 blocks (1.38 bpg). Liles has also amassed 25 kills, averaging 1.92 kpg. He is hitting .375 (25-10-40) on the year. Last week, Liles recorded 12 kills against CS Northridge. Against Stanford, he had 10 kills for a .438 hitting percentage 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 .418 hitting percentage and is No. 16 all-time in blocks with 297.
HUTTON A SOLID CONTRIBUTOR
•Second on team with 36 kills
Junior Norm Hutton (Huntington Beach), who had a strong finish to last season, has had a solid start in 2007. He has 36 kills and is averaging 3.27 kpg. He has also recorded a team-high five aces. Hutton pounded down 23 kills against CS Northridge in the UCSB/E-Bar Tournament. Last season, Hutton was named the Sports Import/AVCA National Player of the Week on April 24.
EATON DIRECTS 49ER OFFENSE
•Averaging 9.91 apg
Freshman Conor Eaton (Dana Point), one of three potential starting setters, adjusted quite well to the collegiate game at the UCSB/E-Bar Tournament last weekend. In his first start of his college career, Eaton recorded 63 assists and six digs against Stanford. He also recorded 46 assists against Pacific, directing the 49er offense to a .337 hitting percentage. Eaton is averaging a team-high 9.91 apg.
WATTEN LEADS IN DIGS
•Career-high 16 digs vs. Stanford
Sophomore Dustin Watten (Long Beach) recorded a career-high 16 digs against Stanford last week. He currently leads the 49ers with 20 total digs and a 1.67 digs per game average.
BITTNER ADDS THREAT IN MIDDLE
•Second on team with 1.36 bpg
Redshirt freshman Dean Bittner (Lakewood) saw some action in the opening weekend of play as herecorded 10 kills, seven blocks, and an impressive .421 (10-2-19) hitting percentage in the 49ers victory over Pacific. He also had seven kills against both CS Northridge and Stanford. Bittner is averaging 2.18 kpg, 1.36 bpg, and is hitting .360 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 15 kills and eight digs in two matches at the UCSB/E-Bar Tournament. He had a career-high eight kills against Pacific and recorded a very impressive .538 (8-1-13) hitting percentage. Christensen is averaging 1.88 kpg and is hitting .312 (15-5-32).
FABRY ADDS PUNCH
•Averaging 2.43 kpg
Sophomore Daniel Fabry (Parkridge, IL) recorded a career-high 13 kills in the 49ers victory over Stanford. In two games played against CS Northridge, 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 (30-24, 28-30, 23-30, 24-30). 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, and the 49ers lost all three to graduation. Tyler Hildebrand and Robert Tarr both earned AVCA and Volleyball Magazine first team All-America honors. Hildebrand was a three-time first team All-American. Tarr was a two-time first team All-American and also earned second team honors in 2005. Duncan Budinger was named second team All-America in 2006, his first time earning such an honor. 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, his first all-conference honor of his career.
2007 Roster
2007 Schedule/Results
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