Friday, January 6
Santa Barbara, Calif.
10 p.m.
Purdue Fort Wayne
vs
CSUN
Mastodons to Face Three Ranked Opponents at UCSB ASICS Invitational
1/5/2017 11:00:00 AM | Men's Volleyball
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The Fort Wayne men's volleyball team continues its west coast adventures with three matches against ranked opponents at the UCSB ASICS Invitational. The Mastodons will face off against No. 4 Long Beach State, No. 14 California State Northridge and No. 12 UC Santa Barbara.
Scouting the Mastodons (0-1)
The Mastodons are coming off a 3-1 loss to No. 8 UC Irvine on Tuesday (Jan. 3). The 'Dons took a the third set in Irvine, Calif. after going on a three-point run to take the lead and never look back. The 'Dons are looking to knock off a ranked opponent in this tournament before heading home to the comfort of the Gates Center. Pelegrin Vargas is the Fort Wayne leader in kills through one match with 10, while Michael Keegan is setting the pace with 31 assists. Saint Francis (Pa.) transfer Jack Carlson led the 'Dons in digs with nine in his first match in a Fort Wayne uniform.
Who: No. 4 Long Beach State 49ers
When: Friday, January 6 | 1 p.m.
Where: Thunderdome | Santa Barbara, Calif.
All-Time Series: Long Beach State leads 20-3
Last Meeting: March 16, 2013 | Long Beach, Calif. | Fort Wayne 0, No. 3 Long Beach State 3 (26-24, 25-17, 25-20)
Scouting the 49ers (0-0)
The 49ers enter the Invitational without a regular season matchup under their belt, but did have a pair of exhibition contests against Manitoba on Wednesday and Thursday (Jan. 4-5). Long Beach State ended the 2016 season 25-8, falling to BYU in the NCAA semifinals. Beach returns six players that saw action in over 90 sets in 2016.
Who: No. 14 California State Northridge (CSUN) Matadors
When: Friday, January 6 | 10 p.m.
Where: Thunderdome | Santa Barbara, Calif.
All-Time Series: CSUN leads 9-2
Last Meeting: January 9, 2015 | Santa Barbara, Calif. | Fort Wayne 3, No. 13 CSUN 2 (25-22, 25-23, 15-25, 16-25, 16-14)
Scouting the Matadors (2-0)
CSUN enters the UCSB ASICS Invitational with a 2-0 record, with 3-0 wins over Concordia and UC Merced. The Matadors will face off against MIVA member Quincy before taking on Fort Wayne on Friday night (Jan. 6). Dimitar Kalchev hit .929 and had 13 kills against UC Merced. He is leading the Matadors with 24 kills in two matches. Chandler Gibb has a team-high 62 assists in the season's first two matches.
Who: No. 12 UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
When: Saturday, January 7 | 9:30 p.m.
Where: Rob Gym | Santa Barbara, Calif.
All-Time Series: UC Santa Barbara leads 16-3
Last Meeting: January 10, 2015 | Santa Barbara, Calif. | Fort Wayne 1, No. 4 UC Santa Barbara 3 (25-20, 24-26, 30-28, 26-24)
Scouting the Gauchos (0-0)
UC Santa Barbara enters its own invitational to start the 2017 season, after hosting an exhibition match with Shandong in October. UCSB faces off against MIVA member McKendree and Mount Olive before facing the 'Dons on Saturday (Jan. 7). UCSB finished the 2016 season with a 20-10 record, ending the season in the MPSF semifinals with a loss to the eventual NCAA runner-up Brigham Young. UCSB has 12 freshmen on the roster, and only five with a junior or senior class standing.
Tough Start
The 2017 schedule starts off with a stretch of five of Fort Wayne's first six opponents being ranked in the Preseason AVCA Top 15. The first contest of the year pitted the 'Dons against No. 8 UC Irvine, followed by No. 4 Long Beach State, No. 14 California State Northridge and No. 12 UC Santa Barbara. Fort Wayne returns home for matchups against Saint Francis (Pa.) and No. 13 Penn State. Saint Francis (Pa.) was the first team outside of the Top 15 receiving votes.
Last Time Out
The Mastodons fell to No. 8 UC Irvine 3-1 (25-19, 25-20, 23-25, 25-11) in Irvine, Calif.
Next Time Up
Fort Wayne returns home for matches against Saint Francis (Pa.) and No. 13 Penn State on Friday (Jan. 13) and Saturday (Jan. 14) at 7 p.m.
~ Feel the Rumble ~
Scouting the Mastodons (0-1)
The Mastodons are coming off a 3-1 loss to No. 8 UC Irvine on Tuesday (Jan. 3). The 'Dons took a the third set in Irvine, Calif. after going on a three-point run to take the lead and never look back. The 'Dons are looking to knock off a ranked opponent in this tournament before heading home to the comfort of the Gates Center. Pelegrin Vargas is the Fort Wayne leader in kills through one match with 10, while Michael Keegan is setting the pace with 31 assists. Saint Francis (Pa.) transfer Jack Carlson led the 'Dons in digs with nine in his first match in a Fort Wayne uniform.
Who: No. 4 Long Beach State 49ers
When: Friday, January 6 | 1 p.m.
Where: Thunderdome | Santa Barbara, Calif.
All-Time Series: Long Beach State leads 20-3
Last Meeting: March 16, 2013 | Long Beach, Calif. | Fort Wayne 0, No. 3 Long Beach State 3 (26-24, 25-17, 25-20)
Scouting the 49ers (0-0)
The 49ers enter the Invitational without a regular season matchup under their belt, but did have a pair of exhibition contests against Manitoba on Wednesday and Thursday (Jan. 4-5). Long Beach State ended the 2016 season 25-8, falling to BYU in the NCAA semifinals. Beach returns six players that saw action in over 90 sets in 2016.
Who: No. 14 California State Northridge (CSUN) Matadors
When: Friday, January 6 | 10 p.m.
Where: Thunderdome | Santa Barbara, Calif.
All-Time Series: CSUN leads 9-2
Last Meeting: January 9, 2015 | Santa Barbara, Calif. | Fort Wayne 3, No. 13 CSUN 2 (25-22, 25-23, 15-25, 16-25, 16-14)
Scouting the Matadors (2-0)
CSUN enters the UCSB ASICS Invitational with a 2-0 record, with 3-0 wins over Concordia and UC Merced. The Matadors will face off against MIVA member Quincy before taking on Fort Wayne on Friday night (Jan. 6). Dimitar Kalchev hit .929 and had 13 kills against UC Merced. He is leading the Matadors with 24 kills in two matches. Chandler Gibb has a team-high 62 assists in the season's first two matches.
Who: No. 12 UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
When: Saturday, January 7 | 9:30 p.m.
Where: Rob Gym | Santa Barbara, Calif.
All-Time Series: UC Santa Barbara leads 16-3
Last Meeting: January 10, 2015 | Santa Barbara, Calif. | Fort Wayne 1, No. 4 UC Santa Barbara 3 (25-20, 24-26, 30-28, 26-24)
Scouting the Gauchos (0-0)
UC Santa Barbara enters its own invitational to start the 2017 season, after hosting an exhibition match with Shandong in October. UCSB faces off against MIVA member McKendree and Mount Olive before facing the 'Dons on Saturday (Jan. 7). UCSB finished the 2016 season with a 20-10 record, ending the season in the MPSF semifinals with a loss to the eventual NCAA runner-up Brigham Young. UCSB has 12 freshmen on the roster, and only five with a junior or senior class standing.
Tough Start
The 2017 schedule starts off with a stretch of five of Fort Wayne's first six opponents being ranked in the Preseason AVCA Top 15. The first contest of the year pitted the 'Dons against No. 8 UC Irvine, followed by No. 4 Long Beach State, No. 14 California State Northridge and No. 12 UC Santa Barbara. Fort Wayne returns home for matchups against Saint Francis (Pa.) and No. 13 Penn State. Saint Francis (Pa.) was the first team outside of the Top 15 receiving votes.
Last Time Out
The Mastodons fell to No. 8 UC Irvine 3-1 (25-19, 25-20, 23-25, 25-11) in Irvine, Calif.
Next Time Up
Fort Wayne returns home for matches against Saint Francis (Pa.) and No. 13 Penn State on Friday (Jan. 13) and Saturday (Jan. 14) at 7 p.m.
~ Feel the Rumble ~
Players Mentioned
L
/ Men's Volleyball
S
/ Men's Volleyball
OH
/ Men's VolleyballPFW vs Maryville (Men's Volleyball)
Tuesday, March 11
PFW vs Thomas More (Mens Volleyball)
Friday, March 07
PFW vs Lindenwood (Mens Volleyball)
Friday, February 28
PFW vs Queens (Mens Volleyball)
Thursday, February 13
