International Volleyball

Volleyball today: NCAA men’s poll, schedule; NCAA beach; AVCA; LOVB

Volleyball today: NCAA men's poll, schedule; NCAA beach; AVCA; LOVB

Long Beach State’s Sotiris Siapanis attacks against the Hawaii block of Guilherme Voss, left, and Alaka’i Todd last Friday/Andy J. Gordon photo

In this report, we catch up on the AVCA, NCAA men, NCAA beach, Pro Volleyball Federation and LOVB.

NCAA men

AVCA TOP 20: It was all Long Beach State, which moved up a spot and got all 23 first-place votes. Hawai’i, which lost at the Beach twice last week, dropped to No. 2. UCLA stayed No. 3, UC Irvine is up a spot to No. 4, and Grand Canyon dropped a notch to No. 5.

Otherwise, there was no significant movement and no one dropped out. Click here for the complete AVCA National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Poll.

AVCA POW: The national player of the week is Dan Mangun of Loyola Chicago. The 6-4 junior setter averaged 11.5 assists per set in victories over Princeton, Quincy and McKendree. He also averaged 2.3 digs and just less than a block.

UP NEXT: There is one match on Wednesday’s schedule when McKendree (13-7, 7-4), up two spots in the AVCA Poll to No. 18, goes to Lindenwood (7-11, 3-7) in the MIVA. 

There are four matches Thursday, three in the MIVA, including a chance for No. 12 Ball State (16-7, 9-1) to all but bury No. 10 Ohio State (15-7, 8-4). Ball State has won eight in a row, while the Buckeyes have lost three in a row and four of five. Loyola Chicago (14-8, 8-3) tries to keep pace when the No. 11 Ramblers go to last-place Quincy (5-13, 1-10) and No. 14 Lewis (12-11, 5-5) goes to Queens (9-13, 2-8). 

In the MPSF Grand Canyon (18-2, 6-0) tries to keep its one-game lead over idle UCLA (16-4, 5-1) when it plays at Concorida Irvine (6-10, 0-4).

NCAA beach

USC SWEEPS CUI, UH: Top-ranked USC swept both Concordia Irvine and No. 12 Hawai’i to improve to 18-2. USC did not a set to Concordia (13-6) and lost only one — barely — against UH (9-8). That was on No. 4, when Ashley Prater and Madison White beat Sydney Amiatu and Riley Wagoner 26-28, 21-19, 15-11.

Hawai’i beat CUI 4-1, sweeping on courts 1-4.

ICYMI: For all things NCAA beach volleyball, read Larry Hamel’s report that posted Tuesday recapping last week’s tournaments and a look ahead:

AVCA TOP PAIR: The national pair of the week was USC’s Megan Kraft and Delaynie Maple. They went 4-0 last week, 8-1 in sets.

Pro Volleyball Federation

The next match is Wednesday when the Grand Rapids Rise (4-5) go to the Columbus Fury (4-4). They split their previous two matches. Thursday, the Orlando Valkyries (5-7) play at the first-place Atlanta Vibe (8-3)…

Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Volleyballmag.com…