Saturday, January 27
Northridge, CA
6:00 P.M.
California State University at Northridge
5-3,0-0Big West
3
vs
0
Central State University
0-9,0-0SIAC
1
2
3
F
Central St. (OH)
16
17
18
0
CSUN
25
25
25
3
Photo by: Steve Fitzgerald
No. 18 CSUN Tops Central State in Straight Sets
1/27/2024 7:57:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – The 18th-ranked CSUN men's volleyball team swept Central State in the first-ever match between the two schools Saturday night at Premier America Credit Union Arena.
With the 25-16, 25-17, 25-18 non-conference win, the Matadors improve to 5-3 on the season while the Marauders slip to 0-9.
Redshirt freshman Jalen Phillips led CSUN with seven kills (.333) in just over two sets while sophomore Malcolm King had an impressive all-around match with six kills (.750), five blocks, and a career-high five aces. Kyle Hobus also chipped in six kills to go with three aces and a pair of blocks.
Griffin Walters, who also had a team-high five digs, also served three aces as the Matadors posted 12 aces as a team. Behind 22 assists from Donovan Constable, CSUN wound up hitting .318 (34-13-66) while limiting Central State to an .038 (17-15-53) team hitting clip. The Matadors also out-blocked CSU, 7.0-4-5 and had 18 digs to 15 for the Marauders.
HOW IT HAPPENED
ACCORDING TO COACH THEO EDWARDS
"I thought tonight was a good match. We had a couple guys that played particularly well. Malcolm (King) hit .750 and had a bunch of aces, Griffin (Walters) hit .400, and Donovan (Constable) did a really nice job too, he's been setting some really good offense for us. The history of the HBC's and Central State is one that the guys learned about before the match and for us to have an opportunity to play this team here at home is really fantastic."
CSUN hits the road for its next two matches as the Matadors travel to Stanford to meet the No. 6 Cardinal next Friday and Saturday.
#GoMatadors
With the 25-16, 25-17, 25-18 non-conference win, the Matadors improve to 5-3 on the season while the Marauders slip to 0-9.
Redshirt freshman Jalen Phillips led CSUN with seven kills (.333) in just over two sets while sophomore Malcolm King had an impressive all-around match with six kills (.750), five blocks, and a career-high five aces. Kyle Hobus also chipped in six kills to go with three aces and a pair of blocks.
Griffin Walters, who also had a team-high five digs, also served three aces as the Matadors posted 12 aces as a team. Behind 22 assists from Donovan Constable, CSUN wound up hitting .318 (34-13-66) while limiting Central State to an .038 (17-15-53) team hitting clip. The Matadors also out-blocked CSU, 7.0-4-5 and had 18 digs to 15 for the Marauders.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- CSUN scored the first four points of the opening set and would never trail. A co-block from Phillips and King opened up a five-point lead at 7-2 before a King kill extended the margin to as many as eight at 15-7. A Marauder hitting error kept the CSUN lead at eight (20-12) before the Matadors closed out a 25-16 win on a King ace.
- The Matadors carried the momentum into the second set as a Hubus kill capped a 6-2 run to open the frame. Central State remained within four at 14-10 when CSUN put together a 4-1 run to open up an 18-11 advantage. The Matador lead wouldn't dip below six points the rest of the set before Hobus' ace closed out a 25-17 win.
- The Marauders led for the first time in the match after taking a 3-1 lead to open the final set. CSUN still trailed by two (5-3) when the hosts claimed six straight, highlighted by a pair of Walters kills, to take a 9-5 lead. CSU was within three at 14-11 when a Lorenzo Bertozzi kill fueled a 6-1 CSUN run the put the Matadors comfortably in front, 20-12. CSUN would then hold off a late run by the Marauders as Bertozzi connected for a kill on match point.
ACCORDING TO COACH THEO EDWARDS
"I thought tonight was a good match. We had a couple guys that played particularly well. Malcolm (King) hit .750 and had a bunch of aces, Griffin (Walters) hit .400, and Donovan (Constable) did a really nice job too, he's been setting some really good offense for us. The history of the HBC's and Central State is one that the guys learned about before the match and for us to have an opportunity to play this team here at home is really fantastic."
UP NEXT
CSUN hits the road for its next two matches as the Matadors travel to Stanford to meet the No. 6 Cardinal next Friday and Saturday.
#GoMatadors
Team Stats
CentSt
CSUN
Kills
17
34
Errors
15
13
Attempts
53
66
Hitting %
.038
.318
Points
23.5
53.0
Assists
15
31
Aces
2
12
Blocks
4.5
7
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
6
Aces
3
Blocks
2
Kills
6
Aces
5
Blocks
5
Kills
4
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Men's Volleyball
S
/ Men's VolleyballOH
/ Men's VolleyballMB
/ Men's VolleyballOPP
/ Men's Volleyball
OH
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