WARRIOR VOLLEYBALL
Hawaii adds AVCA honors to its many MPSF awards
IRVINE, Calif. » As the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation goes, so goes the country. At least when it come to men's volleyball postseason honors.
Both of Hawaii's All-MPSF first-team selections -- junior setter Brian Beckwith and junior opposite Lauri Hakala -- have also earned first-team AVCA All-America honors, according to sources familiar with the selection process. The Warriors' two second-team All-MPSF picks, senior co-captains Matt Carere and Alfred Reft -- were named to the All-America second team.
Also chosen to the All-America team was UC Irvine libero Brent Asuka, a 2005 Iolani School graduate. Asuka, the MPSF newcomer of the year, picked up the national newcomer of the year award as well, after finishing the regular season as the MPSF leader in digs (3.23 dpg) and breaking the UCI single-season record for digs (currently 327).
Beckwith, Hakala and Asuka will be among the players honored at Wednesday's All-America banquet at Penn State. Asuka's freshman season is expected to continue with today's selection of UCI as the at-large team in the final four.
» Seventh-ranked UCLA served 10 aces, including the match-ender by Steve Klosterman, to upset No. 2 Long Beach State 24-30, 30-28, 30-23, 30-24 in last night's Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament final at the Bren Events Center.
Klosterman added 16 kills, as did teammate Paul George, to give UCLA (24-12) its 12th consecutive victory and send the Bruins to their 25th final four with the MPSF's automatic berth.
Norm Hutton had a career-high 27 kills for the 49ers (23-10).
Also advancing to the final four yesterday were Penn State, which swept St. Francis in the EIVA Championship match, and IPFW, which beat Loyola-Chicago in four games for the MIVA title. No. 1 UC Irvine will likely get the at-large berth.