On one hand, they’re non-conference matches.
On the other, they’re the biggest regular-season contests of the NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball season at top-ranked Hawai’i of the Big West plays host to No. 2 BYU of the MPSF on Thursday and Friday at what will likely be a packed Stan Sheriff Center.
Hawai’i is 14-0 and hasn’t played a non-exhibition match since going on the road and sweeping Stanford on back-to-back nights in mid-February. The Rainbow Warriors won two home exhibitions last week against Nittaidai University of Japan.
BYU is 16-0 and leads the series 41-20, including 14-14 in the Sheriff Center.
Meanwhile, Ball State kept its slim MIVA hopes alive Wednesday with a four-set win over Ohio State, which is all but out of the league race. There were two other NCAA Division I-II men’s matches Wednesday with nine more on tap for Thursday, including the big one in Honolulu.
Also Wednesday, USA Volleyball announced its 28-player U.S. Women’s Collegiate National Team.
The recaps and USAV story follow, but first a look at Thursday’s men’s schedule.
There is another MPSF-Big West matches as UCLA of the MPSF plays host to CSUN of the Big West. Also, the MPSF’s USC plays host to Saint Francis of the EIVA, and Concordia is home for matches against Westcliff and UC Santa Cruz.
There is a MIVA match when Loyola goes to Purdue Fort Wayne, and the MIVA’s Quincy plays host to Culver Stockton.
The EIVA’s Charleston plays at King of Conference Carolinas. And Emmanuel hosts Reinhardt.
To watch any match that is being streamed or broadcast, go to the VolleyballMag.com TV listings.
Men’s recaps: Ball State (11-6, 4-3 MIVA) lost the first set badly to Ohio State (10-8, 2-5) but bounced back for a 16-25, 29-27, 26-24, 25-18 victory. The Cardinals stayed two games back of league-leading No. 5 Lewis (13-4, 6-1) and a game back in the loss column behind Lindenwood (11-6, 4-2).
Kaleb Jenness led Ball State with 20 kills and had an assist, an ace, 10 digs and a block. Matt Szews had 17 kills, hit .344, and had an assist, nine digs and four blocks. Quinn Isaacson had a kill in his only try, 45 assists, 10 digs and two blocks. His team hit .268 and had two aces and 12 serving errors.
Ohio State’s Martin Lallemand had 18 kills as he hit .484 and had an assist, six digs and three blocks. Tyler Alter had 12 kills, an assist, an ace, four digs and two blocks. Samuel Clark had eight kills, hit .412, and had a dig and five blocks, one solo. Michael Wright had a kill in his only try, 48 assists, five digs and a block. His team hit .296 and had four aces and 17 errors as the Buckeyes lost for the fourth time in five matches …
In Conference Carolinas, Belmont Abbey (8-10, 5-5) beat Lees-McRae (3-12, 1-7) 25-18, 25-12, 25-19. Belmont Abbey hit .339 and had an incredible 16 aces against 14 errors. Five players had five or more kills, including seven by Andrew Kohut. Brian Long had five kills and four aces. Lees-McRae hit .054 and had three aces and nine errors … Also, Limestone of Conference Carolinas (10-5) swept Reinhardt.
U.S Collegiate Team: The 28 players will train in Anaheim with the USA national team. They’ll be coached by former BYU coach Chris Olmstead and his assistants will include current BYU coach Heather Olmstead and former Olympians Tayyiba Haneef-Park and Kayla Banwarth, the head coach at Ole Miss. The list that follows is courtesy of USA Volleyball:
Name (Position, School, Height, College Eligibility Remaining, Hometown, Youth Club)
Izzy Ashburn (S, Wisconsin, 5-11, 3, Dayton, Minnesota, Minnesota Select)
Taylor Bannister (OPP, LSU, 6-5, 1, Missouri City, Texas, Texas Premier VBC)
Holly Carlton (OPP, Florida, 6-7, 1, Sterling, Virginia, Metro Volleyball Club of DC)
T’Ara Ceasar (OH, Florida, 6-1, 1, Panama City, Florida, Prostyle Volleyball Academy)
Camille Conner (S, Texas A&M, 6-1, 1, Katy, Texas, Skyline Houston Juniors)
Dani Drews (OH, Utah, 6-0, 1, Sandy, Utah, Club V)
Maia Dvoracek (OPP, Cal Poly, 6-1, 1, Truckee, California, Northern California Volleyball)
Breana Edwards (OH, Indiana, 6-2, 2 Rainier, Oregon, Athena VBC)
Gabby Gonzales (OH, Ohio State, 6-3, 3, Marietta, Georgia, A5 Volleyball)
Marin Grote (M, Washington, 6-4, 2, Burbank, California, San Gabriel Elite)
Kendall Kipp (OH, Stanford, 6-5, 3, Newport Beach, California, Laguna Beach VBC)
Kenzie Koerber (OPP, Utah, 6-3, 1, Chino Hills, California, Tstreet)
Kara McGhee (M, Baylor, 6-4, 3, San Antonio, Texas, San Antonio Magic)
CC McGraw (L, Minnesota, 5-9, 2, Prior Lake, Minnesota, Minnesota Select)
Marlie Monserez (S, Florida, 6-0, 2, Windermere, Florida, Ocala Power United)
Kylie Murr (L, Ohio State, 5-6, 3, Yorktown, Indiana, Munciana VBC)
Katie Myers (M, Unaffiliated, 6-2, 2, Westerville, Ohio, Mintonette)
Caitlyn Newton (OH, Purdue, 6-1, 1, Terre Haute, Indiana, Crossroads of America)
Brooke Nuneviller (L, Oregon, 5-11, 2, Chandler, Arizona, Aspire VBC)
Zoe Nunez (S, Notre Dame, 5-10, 2, Rockford, Illinois, Club Fusion)
Tyanna Omazic (M, Missouri, 6-2, 1, Kansas City, Mo., PVA)
Erika Pritchard (OH, Maryland, 6-3, 1, Middletown, Maryland, Metro Volleyball Club of DC)
Devyn Robinson (M, Wisconsin, 6-2, 4, Ankeny, Iowa, Iowa Powerplex VBC)
Mikayla Robinson (M, South Carolina, 6-2, 1, West Dundee, Illinois, Sky High VBC)
Lauren Sanders (M, Washington, 6-4, 1, Snohomish, Washington, Washington Volleyball Academy)
Shannon Scully (L, Pepperdine, 6-2, 1, Huntington Beach, California, Tstreet)
Alli Stumler (OH, Kentucky, 6-1, 2, Floyds Knobs, Indiana, Union VBC)
Sophie Summers (M, Washington, 6-3, 4, Portland, Oregon, Northwest Pacific Juniors)
Click here for the complete USA Volleyball news release.
