Two weeks ago, the UCLA men’s volleyball team walked into
Long Beach’s Walter Pyramid as the top-ranked team in the
country, a team intent on winning the national championship.
Now, for the Bruins even to have the opportunity to reach the
Final Four, they will likely have to rely on Long Beach State, the
team that defeated them on April 13, to lose.
After falling to eighth-seeded Cal State Northridge in the MPSF
quarterfinals, the Bruins no longer control their own destiny to
the NCAA Tournament and can only get in by receiving the lone
at-large bid. Traditionally, that spot has gone to the runner-up in
the MPSF. This year, however, the situation has been complicated as
the second, third and fourth seeds all lost their home matches to
lower seeds in the MPSF quarterfinals.
That, the Bruins believe, leaves an outside chance for them to
receive an at-large bid.
“I realize that there is a long road ahead of us,”
UCLA coach Al Scates said. “But I feel confident about our
chances of receiving an at-large bid.”
If fifth-seeded Long Beach State loses its semifinal match to
sixth-seeded UC Santa Barbara, and top-ranked Pepperdine wins the
tournament, Scates believes the Bruins have a good chance of
receiving an at-large bid based on their track record this
season.
The Bruins, at 25-5, have a better win-loss record and
head-to-head match-up record than any other team in the country
other than No. 1 Pepperdine.
“UCLA has had a very nice record and has been ranked No. 1
for a large part of the season,” Hawaii coach Mike Wilton
said. “I think the selection committee would definitely take
that into consideration despite their postseason loss.”
The question is now whether Pepperdine, which would likely
receive the at-large bid if it lost in the MPSF playoffs, would
rest its starters to avoid facing second-ranked UCLA in the Final
Four at Pauley Pavilion.
According to Pepperdine coach Marv Dunphy, it is not even a
consideration for his team.
“The only thing we’re worried about right now is
winning,” Dunphy said. “All we know is that if we win
our next two games, we will be in the Final Four.”
The other consideration Pepperdine faces is that, as the
at-large team, it would likely be seeded second in the Final Four
and would have to face Penn State, which would be much more
difficult than facing a team from the Midwestern Intercollegiate
Volleyball Association.
“The Midwest does not have a team ranked in the top
8,” Scates said. “Pepperdine would definitely favor
having the No. 1 seed and playing a team from that
region.”
Even if Pepperdine wins out, the Bruins’ biggest hurdle
may be convincing the NCAA selection committee that they deserve
the at-large bid over rival Long Beach State.
The 49ers are 12-2 in their last 14 matches and have defeated
each of the top five teams in the MPSF during that time. For UCSB
coach Ken Preston, the 49ers are a lock for the at-large bid if
Pepperdine secures the title.
“They are the hottest team in the country right
now,” Preston said. “If they reach the MPSF final, they
will have advanced two rounds farther than the Bruins and they
should receive the at-large bid for sure.”
There are two wild cards in the whole scenario: the financial
incentive of the host Bruins playing in the Final Four and the
presence of Long Beach State athletic director Bill Shumard on the
three-member NCAA selection committee.
At least one coach expects the committee to favor UCLA because
it would bring in the most money.
“I don’t think anyone on the committee would admit
it,” Wilton said, “but financial considerations
definitely play a huge role in which team gets selected.”
Though Shumard would seem to be in a very difficult situation if
he was forced to choose between his 49ers and the Bruins for the
final at-large bid, he isn’t worried.
“If that situation comes up, we will address it at that
time,” Shumard said. “I don’t anticipate there
being any problem.”