BYU men's volleyball – MPSF showdown delayed

The BYU men’s volleyball team is idle this week – but the Cougars could have had quite a showdown with longtime nemesis Long Beach State.
Originally, BYU was scheduled to play a pair of weekend matches this week in Long Beach at the Pyramid, but the 49ers asked to move the two matches back in the schedule. The 49ers will now host the Cougars on March 20 and 21.
But consider what would have been at stake had BYU and The Beach battled this weekend. You would have the top-ranked and undefeated Cougars (9-0 overall, 4-0 league) facing the third-ranked and undefeated 49ers (8-0 overall, 6-0 league) in a battle for bragging rights and the top spot in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation standings.
Only second-ranked Penn State currently stands between the two in the latest CSTV/AVCA coaches Top 15 poll.
It will be something if the two MPSF foes are still unbeaten in late March.
Long Beach already has posted some key league victories – winning a pair at Hawaii, followed by triumphs against UC Irvine, at UCLA and last week’s home wins against No. 5 Pepperdine and No. 11 USC.
This week, Long Beach will face UC San Diego on Friday night – the first common opponent the Cougars and 49ers will have had to this point. BYU swept San Diego in a pair of road matches to start the ’08 season.
Meanwhile, BYU will have this week to rest up for next weekend’s two matches at UC Irvine. The Cougars well remember the Anteaters from last year – BYU celebrated its first No. 1 ranking in ’07 by splitting two regular-season matches against No. 2 UCI before standing-room-only Smith Fieldhouse crowds. Then, the Anteaters eliminated the Cougars in the semifinals of the MPSF Tournament, with UCI going on to win both the league tourney title and the 2007 NCAA championship.