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MSUB Volleyball Falls in NCAA Poll
(10/25/06)
BILLINGS, MT – Despite winning
all five of its matches since the last poll, the Montana
State-Billings volleyball team plummeted from No. 1 to No. 7 in
this week’s NCAA Southwest Region volleyball poll. The
Yellowjackets, 21-4 overall, were the top-ranked team in the
region in the poll released October 11. The NCAA did not
publish a poll on October 18, and the October 25 poll will be
the final of the regular season. The next rankings released by
the NCAA Volleyball Committee will come November 5 when it
announces the qualifiers for the NCAA Tournament. The top eight
teams in each of the NCAA’s eight regions earn berths to the
tourney.
The Jackets were most likely
knocked down in the poll by their strength of schedule. Since
the last regional poll was released, MSUB has gone 5-0.
However, one of those wins was against Rocky Mountain College.
Contests against NAIA opponents are never beneficial for NCAA
regional rankings, regardless of the sport. The Jackets’ other
four wins during the last two weeks have been against two NCAA
teams with current combined records of 9-47.
West Texas A&M (26-3) moved up
from No. 2 to No. 1 in this week’s poll. They are followed by
Abilene Christian (17-8), Nebraska-Kearney (23-6), Western New
Mexico (23-5), Metro State (16-8), Fort Lewis (20-6), MSUB,
Regis (14-12), Mesa State (13-13), and UC-Colorado Springs
(15-11).
The Yellowjackets wrap up the
regular season this coming Friday and Saturday with matches at
St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, TX. MSUB will host the
Heartland Conference Championship Tournament on November 3 and 4
at Alterowitz Gym. The Jackets have already clinched the No. 1
seed for the tournament. The conference tournament champion is
guaranteed to be one of the eight teams invited to the NCAA
Tournament.
NCAA Southwest Region Poll
1. West Texas A&M (26-3)
2. Abilene Christian (17-8)
3. Nebraska-Kearney (23-6)
4. Western New Mexico (23-5)
5. Metropolitan State (16-8)
6. Fort Lewis (20-6)
7. Montana State-Billings (21-4)
8. Regis (14-12)
9. Mesa State (13-13)
10. Colorado-Colorado Springs (15-11) |
