Saturday, February 3
Stanford, CA
5:00 P.M.
California State University at Northridge
3
at
1
Stanford
Photo by: Steve Fitzgerald
No. 17 CSUN Upsets Fourth-Ranked Stanford in Four Sets
2/3/2024 8:50:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
STANFORD, Calif. – The 17th-ranked CSUN men's volleyball team posted its first win over an AVCA top-five team in four years as the Matadors upset No. 4 Stanford in four sets in a non-conference match Saturday night at Maples Pavilion.
CSUN (6-4) had three players with double figure led by senior Kyle Hobus put down a match-high 22 kills, hitting .415 on 41 swings. Hobus also added five digs, three blocks, and one ace while freshman Jalen Phillips added 19 kills on 34 attacks to hit .412. Phillips also scooped up a season and match-high eight digs to go with two blocks. Senior Griffin Walters chipped in 11 kills (.333), five digs and one ace.
Junior setter Donovan Constable had 52 assists in leading the Matador hitters to a .383 hitting clip. Constable also posted six digs, four blocks, and a pair of aces in the win. CSUN had 60 team kills to 38 for Stanford which hit .264 as a team. One night after being out-aced 10-1, the Matadors had five service aces on Saturday to four for the Cardinal. CSUN also posted edges in blocks (9.5-6.0) and digs (31-28).
ACCORDING TO COACH THEO EDWARDS
"This was a great win tonight and a great win for CSUN volleyball. Kyle was fantastic; he had 22 kills on 41 swings to hit .415. Jalen also hit over .400 with 19 kills and Donovan set a great offense. We hit in the high .300's which was fantastic. You go down the list, Jano hit over .600, Griffin hit .333 and had some big plays at key moments, and Taylan led the back court passing and defense.
"To bounce back from the match we had last night, to learn and and grow from that and make some adjustments and beat a really good team on their home court is truly incredible. I'm super proud of the guys, what an awesome win."
CSUN returns home next week as the Matadors open a season-long, seven-match homestand next Wednesday against UC Merced at 6 p.m.
#GoMatadors
CSUN (6-4) had three players with double figure led by senior Kyle Hobus put down a match-high 22 kills, hitting .415 on 41 swings. Hobus also added five digs, three blocks, and one ace while freshman Jalen Phillips added 19 kills on 34 attacks to hit .412. Phillips also scooped up a season and match-high eight digs to go with two blocks. Senior Griffin Walters chipped in 11 kills (.333), five digs and one ace.
Junior setter Donovan Constable had 52 assists in leading the Matador hitters to a .383 hitting clip. Constable also posted six digs, four blocks, and a pair of aces in the win. CSUN had 60 team kills to 38 for Stanford which hit .264 as a team. One night after being out-aced 10-1, the Matadors had five service aces on Saturday to four for the Cardinal. CSUN also posted edges in blocks (9.5-6.0) and digs (31-28).
HOW IT HAPPENEDSet two secured ??
— CSUN Men's Volleyball (@CSUNMensVB) February 4, 2024
It's a 25-19 margin to tie it up 1-1.#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/L8HLBHMfCe
- CSUN led for a good portion of the opening frame, its largest lead was three which came at both 10-7 and 11-8. Stanford would answer with an 8-3 run to erase the Matador lead and go up two at 15-13. A co-block by Constable and King cut the lead to 15-14 but CSUN would get no closer as the hosts closed out a 25-19 win.
- The Matadors used a block by Hobus and Tello to open up an early 6-2 lead. After Stanford climbed back to within two (12-10), CSUN answered with a 6-2 run to lead by six at 18-12. The Cardinal cut the deficit to four at 20-16 before the Matadors closed the set on a 5-3 run to win 25-19.
- Flipping the script from Friday's match, the Matadors hit a robust .593 in the third set and won going away 25-21. Leading 4-3, CSUN scored four straight to open up an 8-3 cushion. Back-to-back kills by Tello and Hobus gave the Matadors their largest lead at 12-6. The Cardinal chipped away at the deficit, pulling within two at 15-13. Still leading by two (16-14), CSUN claimed four of the next six points to lead by four at 20-16. A late Stanford run cut the lead to 21-19 but the Matadors closed with a 4-2 run to seal the 25-21 win.
- Looking to force a fifth and deciding set, Stanford claimed the first four points of the fourth set and led 9-5 following a Kevin Lamp kill. Still trailing by two at 14-12, a Hobus kill fueled a 5-0 CSUN run that erased the Cardinal lead while putting the Matadors up 17-14. Stanford rallied back to tie the score at 20-20 before a Walters kill kept CSUN in front. A Matador service error on the ensuing point tied the score for the final time, as a pair of Hobus kills, a Tello kill, and a Cardinal hitting error gave CSUN the margin it needed for the 25-22 win.
NOTESDOWN GOES #4!
— CSUN Men's Volleyball (@CSUNMensVB) February 4, 2024
CSUN defeats Stanford on the road, 19-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-22.#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/D01aT7j4KV
- Senior Jano Tello had eight kills on .636 hitting along with three blocks as CSUN relied on four hitters for its 60 kills.
- Senior libero Taylan Cook had four digs and a pair of assists while Walters and Owen Douphner each added one ace.
- With the win, CSUN splits the season series with Stanford while handing the Cardinal its first loss of the season. The Matadors have now won four of the last five matches between the two teams.
- CSUN's last win over a team ranked in the AVCA top-five came on Jan. 9, 2019 when the Matadors upset No. 2 UCLA in straight sets at home.
ACCORDING TO COACH THEO EDWARDS
"This was a great win tonight and a great win for CSUN volleyball. Kyle was fantastic; he had 22 kills on 41 swings to hit .415. Jalen also hit over .400 with 19 kills and Donovan set a great offense. We hit in the high .300's which was fantastic. You go down the list, Jano hit over .600, Griffin hit .333 and had some big plays at key moments, and Taylan led the back court passing and defense.
"To bounce back from the match we had last night, to learn and and grow from that and make some adjustments and beat a really good team on their home court is truly incredible. I'm super proud of the guys, what an awesome win."
UP NEXTHead coach Theo Edwards recaps No. 17 #CSUN's 3-1 upset win at No. 4 Stanford#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/nuJrzlxgVK
— CSUN Men's Volleyball (@CSUNMensVB) February 4, 2024
CSUN returns home next week as the Matadors open a season-long, seven-match homestand next Wednesday against UC Merced at 6 p.m.
#GoMatadors
Players Mentioned
S
/ Men's Volleyball
L
/ Men's Volleyball
S
/ Men's Volleyball
OH
/ Men's Volleyball
OPP
/ Men's Volleyball
MB
/ Men's Volleyball
OH
/ Men's VolleyballCalHOPE Award Nathan Merren
Thursday, March 02
MVB vs. Stanford Highlights
Monday, February 20
A Conversation With Jeff Campbell
Thursday, May 28
National Student-Athlete Day 2019 - Ryan DeWeese
Friday, April 05