Who's your money on?

USC is young, but has been looking really good recently, with big wins over Pepperdine, and UCI.

Penn state is good like always but hasn't played a top team in quite a while.

UC Irnine is a solid 1 seed.

And I don't know much about Ohio State... But I would like them to do well (not get swept at least)

Would love to see a re-match of:

UC Irvine vs. USC in the finals. (congrats to USC – great job by Tony & Murphy)

Would love to see UC Irvine stomp USC for the win.

Haha, I like UC Irvine but I wouldn't mind USC winning. (Murphy representing the midwest quite well)

I don't see anyone being even close to beating Penn state this year. If they play even remotely good nobody is touching them.

I completely agree, if PSU can get their blocking and their middles going early, mainly holt, no one can touch them in the middle. They have at least a solid surrounding cast and del valle best libero in the final four by farrr...that said the USC-PSU game is gunna be an amazing game either way, but I see PSU beating them in 4, and OSU is ******, I have them getting swept by UCI and from the looks of that championship game id have to go with PSU cause Holt is just an animal at the net and the service line.

if they play like they did their last trip out west, losses to BYU and Long Beach, they wont be winning.
real question is can anyone beat USC right now?
Murphy and Tony were amazing in the MPSF tourney

I think that was just a litke bad streak. There is no other team in the country that has six of it's seven starters playing for national teams. That stands alone to show how good they are

PSU's middles cannot be stopped when they are on... and once you commit to stopping them, the thunder will be brought on the outside... and i think everyone knows who im talking about when i say THUNDER...

Haha sunder isn't really the thunderous type if anything its price

it used to be anderson.... and to be honest i cant see them winning the championship without him. im calling USC.

an established middle hitting team can make anyone a great hitter on the outside plus psu has so much exp.

^ you're right in one sense, but that's basically implying that anyone can be a good outside if you put him on the right team, which i dont think is true. anderson was a much bigger threat than sunder is. that is the only factor that has really changed for psu.

No not at all the only factor...they are missing Anderson, but Luke Murray graduated which is equally as big a factor...a new setter is so damaging to a teams chemistry. Also Price didn't play last year, and Sunder is brand new and Sweitzer is not nearly as effective as last year.

If PSU's passing can hold up(something they've struggled with before i.e. their trip out to Long Beach), they'll most likely win it; however, Irvine will still be a rough match for them even with perfect passing. I predict a UCI-PSU final in 5 with the 5th set going either way.

I agree. I don't think I was alone when I predicted that Penn State would be nowhere near as good as last year earlier this year. USC was one of the few great teams they played this season, and PSU won 3-2, but USC is a young team, and since the beginning of the season they've done nothing but improve substantially. Penn state lost to BYU and CSULB as you said, who are both great teams, but losing to teams at that level won't cut it in the final four. I'd bet money on USC to win it all. Sweeping UCI is saying something, as is beating Pepperdine. Expect a UCI vs. USC rematch in the finals for sure.

If a USC vs. UCI rematch happens, don't you think the change in altitude will affect USC? Their serving is the main part of why they swept UCI and beat Pepp in the MPSF finals. It'll be a battle if USC can serve like they have been, and if not I don't see the Trojans winning it all this year. They have a legitimate shot next year, though.

3 of these teams have STHIP players on them that will see alot of action.

I'm going to go with...

USC over Penn State 5

UCI over Ohio State 3

UCI over USC in 4


With all that said, I'd like Ohio State to win.

Ohio St vs. SC final would be well paired....but doubtful OSU can pull off a UCI win.

Murphy Troy is a god

I agree

If PSU can serve well and the Holt/Lipsitz combo can hit about .400, they can win. Don't see it happening though.

Would love to see Coach Hansen get another shot at a final with OSU.

Very happy for my U-High brothers getting to the final four -- Kevin Heine and Pete Hock of OSU and Murphy Troy of USC. Congrats Boys, make THE HIGH SCHOOL proud!

you shut you're wh ore mouth sweitzer is awesome

hahaha well not as 'awesome' as last year

did not know this tournament was going on

its cool seeing edgardo goas and dennis del valle playing on tv. i had the opportunity to play w/ del valle in high school and watch them both play almost evry week

USC over PSU 3-1. Great match by USC, PSU started hot and had moments, but USC kept their game consistent. Maxes Holt and Lipsitz are incredible. Troy and Ciarelli went on a rampage. Great match.

PSU's rightside block got tooled sooo many times. And on top of that, their outsides got dug all day.

Congrats USC OH's.

UC Irvine takes set 1 over Ohio State 30-24

Called it.

no way

UCI sweeps Ohio State, 30-25, 20-25, and 30-26

I'm calling USC over UCI in 4 or 5.

I totally called that!

Shouldn't have changed your mind.

Not a stomp, but great match for UCI. With a great recruiting class coming in, look for UCI to have another run at it. USC with a young line up will be right there too. They should not have tried to go to Tony so much, tuff match for the freshman.

They needed to make better use of Zahn and Current. They were hugely effective, rarely got blocked and made pretty much no errors. Every ball that went to them was a kill. They put too much pressure on Tony, especially as a Freshman who's been a star all year, it's a lot of pressure to put on him to go to him every time. He came out without any freshman jitters, but it was too obvious they were going to him every time and
UCI got him jittery, but McKibbin continued to go to him.

I'm saying that next year USC has a great shot at winning, losing only one starting player and keeping both their star outsides.

Tony can be strong, but also a streaky player. The UCI fans did a good job of getting into his head. Did you see him crying to the refs in game four. They had to take him out at that point to get him to refocus. He is a smart player with plenty of upside with his skills. At this point in life he may be better off with his dad in the stands and not on the bench.

No dad should be on the bench in college, I don’t care how good a coach Rocky thinks he is. Let him go, he is a man now!

I don't completely agree. This is the first time I've ever seen him breakdown at all, and it was completely understandable. Rocky didn't come along and ask if he could be an assistant either, they asked him if he would coach for them and he accepted. Also I think Rocky knows more about Tony's playing than anybody, since he's not only his dad, but has been his coach before. If Rocky can coach Tony to a Junior Olympics gold medal and the MVP award, I don't see what the harm is for college. Unless Tony himself has a problem with it, let him stay.

if you went to the los al vs. huntington cif game last year you would have seen a breakdown.

one of the funniest things ive ever seen.
tony is known for his crying
but still a great player
austin zahn is a baller though

Really? That's odd I've seen him quite a bit and never seen him meltdown in the middle of the game. Zahn is a baller though gotta agree there, and from the same town as me .

It was terrible how he was responding to the crowd heckling him.... That was absolutely ridiculous of him to be pointing and talking back after plays... have some class and self discipline, even if the crowd doesnt.

tony ciarelli is a little girl ****** . usc comes in as the ugliest team in the nation with troy and tony on top . their bench is sick though. and zahn

So after the REALLY relevant post above me, anyone have any predictions for next year?

USC and Stanford in the final with BYU being this year's CSUN. USC wins the title this year if they can keep Ciarelli from talking to the crowd. Penn State loses a lot harder in the semis than this year. MIVA team still has no chance.

Brad Keller is my hero.

Sounds pretty good to me. I'd like my two favorites in the finals.

gosh man if i didnt know any better id say you were grant cederquist... but thats rediculous noone is as ****** as him