Category: MPSF

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Q&A with BYU coach Rob Neilson

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For the first time this season the top two ranked teams will be across the net from each other.

No. 2 BYU (13-4, 9-3 MPSF) will travel to play No. 1 USC (13-1, 13-1 MPSF) for a two-match series Friday and Saturday in Los Angeles. Both teams are in first and second place in the MPSF and have been the top ranked teams in the coaches poll and media poll for multiple weeks.

In addition, the Cougars enter this weekend leading the nation with a 3.13 blocks per game average and have won nine of their last 10 conference matches.

Off the Block conducted an interview earlier this week with BYU interim head coach Rob Neilson to discuss his team’s success in the first half of the season and the upcoming match between No. 1 and No. 2.
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Top 5 men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight

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It is not as big as No. 1 USC playing No. 2 BYU next weekend, but there is definitely an appeal to tonight’s men’s volleyball matches.

All around the nation there is intrigue as two of the top five nationally ranked teams play each other in California, while No. 9 Penn State and George Mason meet in Virgina to play for sole possession of first place in the EIVA. In addition, off the court there is some intrigue on whether a MIVA coach will continue to bench his former All-American middle attacker.

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The top 5 men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight

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Rematch is the theme of tonight

All of the top five nationally ranked men’s volleyball teams are in action tonight, with three of them playing teams who they have previously defeated this season. However, as this season has already proved sometimes the most difficult thing to do is defeat a team multiple times in the same year.

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Top 5 men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight

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There is only one match between two top 10 ranked teams tonight, but as today has shown rankings are not needed for intrigue.

No. 9 Penn State this afternoon survived in five games against Lees-McRae, which was attempting to be the first team from the Conference Carolinas to defeat a top 10 ranked team. In addition, one week ago all five of the top ranked lost, with four of them losing to teams outside of the top 10.

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Top 5 men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight

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After two weeks of teams primarily playing non-conference matches, the conference season has returned in full force this weekend.

Already two of the top five teams have lost this week and three more of the top-five teams have conference matches tonight. In addition, tonight features No. 5 Ohio State and Ball State renewing the oldest Midwest men’s volleyball rivalry and two conference leaders playing each other in one of the few non-conference matches.

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Top 5 matches to follow tonight

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A day after one of the most historical nights of upsets in NCAA men’s volleyball history that featured all five top ranked teams losing, Saturday’s lineup is almost just as intriguing.

Everything from conference rivalries to teams in dire need to pick up a victory highlights tonight’s schedule.

Check out the top five matches to follow tonight as this chaotic weekend in men’s volleyball begins to wind down.
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Scraping the wreckage of a historical upset Friday

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The oddity of Friday night may be a first in the 41-year history of NCAA men’s volleyball.

All of the top five ranked teams in the ASICS/Volleyball Magazine Men’s Division I-II Media Poll — No. 1 USC, No. 2 Long Beach State, No. 3 BYU, No. 4 Stanford and No. 5 UCLA — lost Friday.

With a majority of the top 10 nationally ranked teams being in the MPSF, it is not unusual for one or two of the top five teams to lose a match during a weekend. However, I can never recall or find another incense when all five of the top ranked teams lost in a single day.
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Q&A with Long Beach State coach Andy Read

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One of the biggest surprise teams this season has been No. 2 Long Beach State — just don’t tell that to any of the 49er players or coaching staff.

After being projected in the preseason poll to finish the MPSF in ninth place, Long Beach State (6-3, 5-1 MPSF) is in second place in the conference and swept the defending NCAA champions Stanford in its most recent match. That victory also extended the 49ers’ winning streak to four matches.

The early season success has surprised most people, except for 49ers interim head coach Andy Read and his players.

Following a bye week and with Long Beach State preparing for its match against Cal State Northridge on Friday, Off the Block conducted an interview with Read to discuss the team’s recent success.
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Top 5 men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight

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It’s not often that MPSF schools travel outside the West Coast.

However, this weekend four MPSF schools have traveled to the Midwest and East Coast to play in non-conference matches against EIVA and MIVA teams. This is by far the best non-conference weekend of the season with matches ranging from three nationally ranked teams meeting up in University Park, Pa., to No. 4 Stanford playing Loyola in the dreadful Alumni Gym where numerous road teams have struggled in recent years.

Check out the top five men’s volleyball matches you need to follow tonight.
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