Griz picked fourth in BSC volleyball poll
8/11/2009 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
The University of Montana volleyball team was picked for a fourth-place finish by the Big Sky Conference coaches in the league???s preseason poll that was released Tuesday. Aside from a flip-flop among the top two teams in the poll, the projected order of finish mirrors the final regular-season standings from 2008.
Portland State, which finished second to Eastern Washington in the 2008 regular-season standings, received seven of the nine first-place votes to top the poll. The Vikings, who hosted last November???s Big Sky tournament by virtue of winning the 2007 regular-season title, downed the top-seeded Eagles in the tournament championship match to advance to the program???s first NCAA tournament.
PSU returns all six starters from its NCAA tournament team and has five different seniors who started at least 12 matches last year.
Eastern Washington received the other two first-place votes to take the second spot in the poll. The Eagles also return six starters from last year???s team that went 12-4 in Big Sky play to win the title by a game over Portland State, which went 11-5.
Northern Colorado was picked third, followed by Montana. The Bears and Grizzlies tied for third last fall with 10-6 league records. Both teams return five starters, plus their libero.
Weber State, which finished fifth last season, a game behind Montana and Northern Colorado at 9-7, was picked fifth in the poll.
Sacramento State, which took the sixth and final tournament spot last November, was picked sixth again.
In a cost-cutting measure, this year???s tournament was downsized from six to four teams, with the No. 1 and No. 4 seeds and Nos. 2 and 3 seeds meeting in the semifinals. The two-day tournament will be held Friday and Saturday, Nov. 27-28, in Cheney, Wash.
???The poll is really of no surprise,??? fourth-year Montana coach Jerry Wagner said. ???There are a number of teams that are very good, and they???re not just vying for the four tournament spots, but for the regular-season title.
???It???s going to come down to who is the best at all the intangibles if there are going to be any changes from this poll. Certainly we???re striving to be the team that makes chaos of the poll.???
Northern Arizona, Idaho State and Montana State, which finished seventh through ninth last year, were picked for the same order in the preseason poll.
Portland State, which finished second to Eastern Washington in the 2008 regular-season standings, received seven of the nine first-place votes to top the poll. The Vikings, who hosted last November???s Big Sky tournament by virtue of winning the 2007 regular-season title, downed the top-seeded Eagles in the tournament championship match to advance to the program???s first NCAA tournament.
PSU returns all six starters from its NCAA tournament team and has five different seniors who started at least 12 matches last year.
Eastern Washington received the other two first-place votes to take the second spot in the poll. The Eagles also return six starters from last year???s team that went 12-4 in Big Sky play to win the title by a game over Portland State, which went 11-5.
Northern Colorado was picked third, followed by Montana. The Bears and Grizzlies tied for third last fall with 10-6 league records. Both teams return five starters, plus their libero.
Weber State, which finished fifth last season, a game behind Montana and Northern Colorado at 9-7, was picked fifth in the poll.
Sacramento State, which took the sixth and final tournament spot last November, was picked sixth again.
In a cost-cutting measure, this year???s tournament was downsized from six to four teams, with the No. 1 and No. 4 seeds and Nos. 2 and 3 seeds meeting in the semifinals. The two-day tournament will be held Friday and Saturday, Nov. 27-28, in Cheney, Wash.
???The poll is really of no surprise,??? fourth-year Montana coach Jerry Wagner said. ???There are a number of teams that are very good, and they???re not just vying for the four tournament spots, but for the regular-season title.
???It???s going to come down to who is the best at all the intangibles if there are going to be any changes from this poll. Certainly we???re striving to be the team that makes chaos of the poll.???
Northern Arizona, Idaho State and Montana State, which finished seventh through ninth last year, were picked for the same order in the preseason poll.
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