Second-ranked UCI showed that they are ready or the playoffs, handing #1 Pepperdine its first 3-0 loss of the season and snapping its 10-game win-streak this past weekend.
The Anteaters put together a solid performance at the net, out-blocking Pepperdine 16 to 6. Blocking seems to tell the story in the meetings of these two teams. When the two met earlier this season, the Waves beat UCI in four games, out-blocking them 21 to 7.
UCI head coach John Speraw prepared his team well to defend Paul Carroll, Pepperdine’s superstar lefty. Carroll, a senior from Australia, has been carrying the load for Pepperdine this season and is likely to be named Player of the Year. UCI held Carroll to 19 kills and had success at the net by often getting a three-man block up on Pepperdine’s hitters.
With this performance, the Anteaters got the Number 1 ranking back and will likely head into the playoffs as the winner of the Montain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Conference, the best league in the nation.
With one week of conference play remaining, fans will have to wait to see which teams will make the playoffs. But we may have just seen a preview of the Finals with this match and it will be great to see how each team adjust if they get a third meeting for all the marbles.
