MVB: Two losses to Grand Canyon, split with BYU -
Mick - 03-10-2024
Men's volleyball lost two straight to Grand Canyon, both by 3-0 scores. GCU is a very good team, the only undefeated team in the nation and currently ranked #1 in the polls...and Stanford went to overtime, so to speak in two of their three sets on the first loss (20-25, 26-28, 25-27). The match saw the return of Will Rottman who had a match-high 18 kills. GCU's advantages were slight, 40-36 in digs and 4-3 in aces.
The next night, Stanford didn't do nearly as well, losing 22-25, 18-25, 17-25. Rottman only hit .217 with 8 kills.
Stanford split with #6 BYU, 2-3 in the first match and a 3-0 win in the second match. Rottman and Lamp were the star hitters in the first match, a close loss...and Kevin Lamp was the star of the show in the 3-0 match win. Good to see Kevin get untracked. Nathaniel Gates hit .600 (six kills, 10 attempts, 0 errors).
I'm very encouraged by the efforts in the last two weeks, and I think it bodes well for Stanford's continued improvement. Stanford has double matches on the road against #4 UCLA and unranked Concordia (has the votes to be #21) and at home vs. #12 USC.
This year's NCAA tournament will be an eight team, single venue format at Long Beach State, an increase by one team to accommodate the winner of the SIAC (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference). The champions of the BigWest, Conference of the Carolinas, Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association, MIVA and MPSF will be joined by the winner of the SIAC and there will be (again) two at-large teams.
RE: MVB: Two losses to Grand Canyon, split with BYU -
BobK - 03-10-2024
Having Wagner and Will R back is brobdingnagian
RE: MVB: Two losses to Grand Canyon, split with BYU -
Mick - 03-10-2024
(03-10-2024, 02:09 PM)BobK Wrote: Having Wagner and Will R back is of immense proportions
Yes, and Stanford MVB historically performs better later in the season. Last year, they won four of their last six regular season games, squeaked into the NCAAs, then won the first two rounds of the MPSF tournament, losing only to UCLA who was 31-2 last year. UCLA, coached by John Speraw, won Speraw his fourth NCAA title (first three came at UC Irvine), beating Hawaii 3-1.