by David Portney
Now that we're a week into the Men's DI-II season and have started to develop some momentum, let's look at a few of the key matches to watch this weekend.
#2 BYU at #1 UC Irvine - Friday, Jan.13th, 7PM PT
No doubt this is the premier match this weekend, as this is already the second time in a week these two teams have played as the No. 1 and No. 2 teams. But one week ago they were flipped, as the second-ranked Anteaters knocked off the first seeded Cougars in four sets (21-25, 25-19, 25-17, 25-23).
UCI is led by 2011 AVCA Second-Team All-American Carson Clark, who nailed 14 kills in their win a week ago. But don't sleep on teammate Jeremy Dejno, who burned BYU for a team-leading 18 kills and two aces. The game plan heading into these early season matches will be to slow down Clark, so if his teammates like Dejno can step up to create serious match-up problems then UC Irvine will be looking at a serious run to the championship.
But was that match a sign of things to come or just an aberration for BYU? It's tough to tell this early in the year, but senior middle blocker Quentin Smith said he didn't think that match was a true indicator of their team, “We definitely did not play our best match,” Smith said. “But what’s exciting is we ended up being in the game. Even not playing our best we were right there, so I think most of us are pretty pumped and pretty optimistic because we know we can play a lot better.”
And they'll have to do just that if they want to take down the now-No. 1 team in the country tonight in California.
#3 UCLA at #13 Hawai'i- Jan. 14th, 9PM PT TV: FOX College Sports
The Stan Sheriff Center will certainly be rocking Saturday night as these two teams hook up for the final match of the 18th annual Outrigger Hotels Invitational. A year ago, UCLA won this Invitational with a clean sweep over Hawai'i. Historically, the Bruins have had their way with the Warriors posting a career 56-20 record.
But that's all in the past now. Hawai'i split their two matches with DII UC San Diego and has a victory over DIII Springfield College, so they still have remained relatively untested this year. UCLA has dropped one this season to #1 UC Irvine, but also swept the defending champion Ohio State Buckeyes a week ago.
#7 Penn State at #8 Ohio State - Saturday, Jan. 14th, 7PM ET
Speaking of those Buckeyes, they come home for the first time this season after completing a west coast swing that saw them finish 1-2. The Nittany Lions on the other hand, will just be starting their season with something to prove after making the NCAA Final Four a year ago. Head coach Mark Pavlik, in his 18th season leading the men's volleyball program, welcomes back 13 letterwinners, including six returners with starting experience for the 2012 season. Included in the group are 2011 AVCA First Team All-American Joe Sunder and AVCA Second Team All-American Edgardo Goas.
OSU took two of three matches against PSU a year ago, including a victory in the semifinals that led them to the 2011 NCAA Championship match against UC Santa Barbara.
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