UCLA picked
over Long Beach
for final four

LOS ANGELES » Word spreads fast within the tight circle of men's collegiate volleyball. Yesterday's announcement that UCLA had been chosen as the at-large selection for this week's NCAA men's volleyball tournament over Long Beach State had many questioning everything from the validity of the selection criteria to the purpose of the conference playoffs.

Despite losing three of their last four matches, including a first-round playoff to a sub-.500 team, the Bruins will be at home in Pauley Pavilion as the tournament's third seed. UCLA (25-5) will face second-seeded Penn State (30-3) in Thursday's first semifinal (4 p.m. Hawaii time).

The second semifinal pits top-ranked Pepperdine (23-2) against Ohio State (24-7). The winners advance to Saturday's title match, to be televised live on ESPN2 at 5 p.m. Hawaii time.

On the sidelines this week will be Long Beach State, which ended its season Saturday night in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation title match with a loss to Pepperdine. It is of little consolation to 49ers coach Alan Knipe that the numerous calls he received from around the country yesterday echoed his disgust and disappointment.

"This is wrong," Knipe said. "It's an embarrassment to the sport. How can a team that did not win a playoff match get into the final four?

"The (selection) committee said it went by criteria but there was precedent to go against that criteria."

Knipe should know. As a Long Beach assistant in 2000, he saw the criteria ignored after the 49ers lost in the MPSF quarterfinals. The team had been ranked first or second nationally all season and was the top seed in the MPSF playoffs. The at-large bid that year went to Pepperdine, which lost in the MPSF final.

"What is the purpose of the playoffs?" Knipe questioned. "There is something fundamentally wrong if this is going to happen. Why play if it's not going to mean anything?"

After a lengthy discussion yesterday, the selection committee decided to play by the handbook. The criteria used included: win-loss records, head-to-head results, home and away records, records against common opponents and records against teams already qualified for the NCAA tournament.

UCLA won on all counts, including a 2-1 edge when facing Long Beach State, and a win over Penn State in March.

The one criteria that was apparently overlooked was that of "eligibility/availability of a student-athlete for the playoff." UCLA's starting setter, Dennis Gonzalez, is not expected to play this week after breaking his hand.