MEN’S VOLLEYBALL ‘mdash; No. 10 UCSD completed its historic season this weekend at RIMAC Arena, edged by No. 8 Long Beach State University in four sets and sweeping Grand Canyon University in the season finale. Clinging’ to playoff hopes, the Tritons fell short in the last two sets against Long Beach State. The game ended in a score of 28-30, 30-26, 31-29, 30-28, closing the book on conference play. On Saturday, the Tritons played their final game of the season in an emotional sweep of Grand Canyon.
The Tritons came into Friday night clinging to the hope that they could somehow squeak into the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation playoffs. In order for the dominoes to fall in place, UCSD had to beat Long Beach State and get some help from other MPSF teams playing contests last weekend.
Unfortunately, the Tritons could not hold their end of the bargain against the 49ers.
UCSD brought its A-game into RIMAC Friday night, but the 49ers came in with an intensity fueled by their previous loss to the Tritons. With the playoffs in sight for both teams, an all-out battle ensued.
The first set was a telling preview, as it included 13 ties and six lead changes. The 49ers jumped ahead 20-15 before the Tritons came storming back to tie it up at 24. Later, with the score tied at 27, senior middle blocker Gerald Houseman sent down a kill and Ross followed with one of his own, forcing a set point. Junior opposite Frank Fritsch then sealed set one with a kill at 30-28 for the Tritons.
The second set saw Long Beach State outhit the Tritons .323 to .167, allowing the 49ers to take the momentum in the game after a 30-26 win.
The third set was another war, featuring 15 ties and seven lead changes. Down 28-27, Houseman sent down back-to-back kills to give UCSD a 29-28 advantage. But, the 49ers took advantage of a UCSD error and won the set on an ace.
The fourth set saw 15 ties and eight lead changes, as the Tritons refused to go down without a fight in their home court with the playoffs on the line. Tied at 28, a 49er kill and UCSD error became the torpedos that sank the Triton ship.
‘I definitely think we fought pretty hard,’ Houseman said. ‘We had a few lapses but Long Beach played really well. We were satisfied with our performance, just not the result.’
In the Tritons’ final conference game, Fritsch sent down 20 kills, Houseman had 13 kills and Spangler added 12 kills. Ross posted nine kills and seven blocks while sophomore setter Phil Bannan added 54 assists, 10 digs and seven blocks.
The final games highlighted UCSD men’s volleyball senior weekend, as libero Eric Leserman, opposite Aaron Hedland and Houseman were honored in a pregame ceremony.
In the season finale versus Grand Canyon, the seniors translated their final game nostalgia into intensity. Led by Leserman, Hedland and Houseman, the Tritons swept the Antelopes 30-12, 30-20, 30-20.
UCSD came storming out of the gates in the first set, scoring the first eight points behind a service run from Spangler. UCSD led 19-5 on Hedland and Ross kills. Houseman sent down the match point for the win at 30-12.
In the second set, Grand Canyon opened to a 5-3 lead before the Tritons strung together a run. With the score tied at 10, the Tritons scored nine of the next 10 points to take command. Hou
seman stepped up again and closed the door on set two 30-12.
The Tritons carried the early momentum into the third set, looking for a sweep. UCSD put together another impressive run, scoring nine straight points on a service run from junior opposite hitter Peter Johnson to break the set wide open. Houseman then ended what he started, putting the set away for the sweep at 30-20.
The game was fittingly led by the seniors as Hedland sent down a match-high 16 kills, Houseman added nine kills on .667 hitting and Leserman laid out for six digs. As a team, UCSD hit at .451 and held Grand Canyon to an embarassing .025 hitting percentage.
The Tritons end their 2009 campaign with a school record 13 wins (13-15). Turning heads all year long, UCSD upset multiple MPSF teams, establishing itself as a true conferece contender.
‘It’s definitely nice that we’ve been improving our record every year, but it obviously would have been impressive to make the playoffs,’ Houseman said. ‘It would have been nice especially in my senior year to go out like that.’
Readers can contact Cameron Tillisch at [email protected].