UCI Wins 2012 Title
It seems a bit of a shame to call this one a sweep. Somehow, the NCAA men's final packed just about everything into just three sets – big leads, momentum changes, comebacks, long rallies, hot hands, questionable calls, alternating set points, pancakes and a crazy backhanded flipper.
In the end, after nearly two hours of play in front of an unusually large crowd, UCI was the team celebrating wildly on the court as USC, the MPSF regular season champs, watched.
Don’t be fooled by the 3-0 score, the Trojans didn't roll over. Coach John Speraw and his Anteaters fought tooth and nail for this championship and they did it by playing smart, adjusting when needed and never giving up.
The failure to fold was the most incredible part of UCI’s run for their third NCAA title in six years. The Anteaters were counted out more than once along the way and for good reason. In the conference tournament they twice got down 0-2 to powerful opponents that should have been able to finish the job.
But one thing the UCI guys know how to do is dig themselves out of a hole. Despite the deficit, they came back against USC in the MPSF Conference Tournament semifinals to beat them 3-2 and then did the same thing to Stanford in the conference final. The win earned them an automatic berth along with the No. 1 seed in the Final Four.
UCI caught fire just in time, but it seemed their backs were against the wall again when USC earned the at-large berth to the semifinal. The Anteaters would now have to beat the Trojans for the third time this season in USC’s house.
The Trojans were rested having sat out the MPSF tourney final while UCI had just played two emotional five set matches. Though UCI came out ahead in two of the three previous meetings, winning yet again seemed a daunting task.
In the semifinals, it took both teams four sets to beat their opponents Lewis and Penn State and the stage was set for the rematch. Four years ago when these two teams met in the NCAA final, this year’s player of the year Tony Ciarelli and the 2012 Most Outstanding Player at the Final Four Carson Clark were just young freshman happy to be there. Last weekend, the two went head to head as the team leaders they had become at their respective schools.
Ciarelli, who showed that he's matured greatly over his four years at USC, was formidable. He led the USC offense with 14 kills on 45 attempts, which was two and a half times more swings than any of his teammates. The quick set to Ciarelli on the outside was virtually unstoppable and he reached into his beach bag of tricks with some cut shots, roll shots and even a back-to-the net, back of the hand flipper to the sideline that dropped for a kill.
We saw a glimpse of the hot-headed kid he was four years ago when his wicked kill down the line at a key point in the match was erroneously called out. For a moment, he lost his cool with the linesman and it looked like his temper might take him out of the game. But his teammates calmed him down and he settled back in, not allowing the bad call to claim his focus.
USC had its chances. They led by seven points in the set but allowed UCI to do what they’ve done best in the playoffs, claw themselves back in. John Speraw called a time out at 14-7 and the Anteater turned it on. Behind the serving of Kevin Tillie, the offense of Dan McDonnell and the hot hand of Carson Clark, UCI pulled ahead at 19-18. USC got to set point first and would have two more over the course of the marathon set, but were unable to convert. UCI got seven set points in the same span and won the set on one of Carson Clark’s 22 kills as Clark put his Anteaters on his back to close out that set. Clark hit .465 for the match on 43 attempts.
USC focused on stopping Kevin Tillie, the workhorse of previous matches who logged over 20 kills against the Trojans in the semifinal match. Their efforts worked, Tillie struggled offensively in the early part of the match, but found enough success to complement Clark in the later sets. Tillie finished with 11 kills but just a .100 hitting percentage on 30 attempts. The Anteaters also got good production out of the middles and setter Chris Austin did a great job of spreading out his sets. Austin, a mid-season replacement for Daniel Stork who was out much of the season due to a concussion, stepped up in the final and found a connection with Clark that had been shaky in earlier matches.
At points in the match, it seemed that Austin was setting Clark every ball and almost every time, Clark found a way to get the kill. He hit off the hands, he hammered through the block, he kept swinging hard and swinging smart. The Trojans never figured out how to stop him.
UCI had the benefit of two borderline calls. They won the first set on a whisper of a touch. If Ciarelli’s attack had been called in, the Trojans may have won a set and changed the outcome of the match. But as the game wore on, it was clear the Anteaters had no intention of giving in.
The last play of the match was an ace serve that went untouched by the USC pass receivers. And with that, the celebration commenced. John Speraw and his Anteaters have been to the Finals of the Final Four three times. They have won the title every single time.
USC was gracious in the loss as was its senior star Ciarelli, who has been through more than his share of heartbreak in the playoffs. He’ll walk away with three Final Four appearances and two chances at the national title. The best team won this one, but the 3-0 set score in the history books just doesn’t do this match justice.
In the end, after nearly two hours of play in front of an unusually large crowd, UCI was the team celebrating wildly on the court as USC, the MPSF regular season champs, watched.
Don’t be fooled by the 3-0 score, the Trojans didn't roll over. Coach John Speraw and his Anteaters fought tooth and nail for this championship and they did it by playing smart, adjusting when needed and never giving up.
The failure to fold was the most incredible part of UCI’s run for their third NCAA title in six years. The Anteaters were counted out more than once along the way and for good reason. In the conference tournament they twice got down 0-2 to powerful opponents that should have been able to finish the job.
But one thing the UCI guys know how to do is dig themselves out of a hole. Despite the deficit, they came back against USC in the MPSF Conference Tournament semifinals to beat them 3-2 and then did the same thing to Stanford in the conference final. The win earned them an automatic berth along with the No. 1 seed in the Final Four.
UCI caught fire just in time, but it seemed their backs were against the wall again when USC earned the at-large berth to the semifinal. The Anteaters would now have to beat the Trojans for the third time this season in USC’s house.
The Trojans were rested having sat out the MPSF tourney final while UCI had just played two emotional five set matches. Though UCI came out ahead in two of the three previous meetings, winning yet again seemed a daunting task.
In the semifinals, it took both teams four sets to beat their opponents Lewis and Penn State and the stage was set for the rematch. Four years ago when these two teams met in the NCAA final, this year’s player of the year Tony Ciarelli and the 2012 Most Outstanding Player at the Final Four Carson Clark were just young freshman happy to be there. Last weekend, the two went head to head as the team leaders they had become at their respective schools.
Ciarelli, who showed that he's matured greatly over his four years at USC, was formidable. He led the USC offense with 14 kills on 45 attempts, which was two and a half times more swings than any of his teammates. The quick set to Ciarelli on the outside was virtually unstoppable and he reached into his beach bag of tricks with some cut shots, roll shots and even a back-to-the net, back of the hand flipper to the sideline that dropped for a kill.
We saw a glimpse of the hot-headed kid he was four years ago when his wicked kill down the line at a key point in the match was erroneously called out. For a moment, he lost his cool with the linesman and it looked like his temper might take him out of the game. But his teammates calmed him down and he settled back in, not allowing the bad call to claim his focus.
USC had its chances. They led by seven points in the set but allowed UCI to do what they’ve done best in the playoffs, claw themselves back in. John Speraw called a time out at 14-7 and the Anteater turned it on. Behind the serving of Kevin Tillie, the offense of Dan McDonnell and the hot hand of Carson Clark, UCI pulled ahead at 19-18. USC got to set point first and would have two more over the course of the marathon set, but were unable to convert. UCI got seven set points in the same span and won the set on one of Carson Clark’s 22 kills as Clark put his Anteaters on his back to close out that set. Clark hit .465 for the match on 43 attempts.
USC focused on stopping Kevin Tillie, the workhorse of previous matches who logged over 20 kills against the Trojans in the semifinal match. Their efforts worked, Tillie struggled offensively in the early part of the match, but found enough success to complement Clark in the later sets. Tillie finished with 11 kills but just a .100 hitting percentage on 30 attempts. The Anteaters also got good production out of the middles and setter Chris Austin did a great job of spreading out his sets. Austin, a mid-season replacement for Daniel Stork who was out much of the season due to a concussion, stepped up in the final and found a connection with Clark that had been shaky in earlier matches.
At points in the match, it seemed that Austin was setting Clark every ball and almost every time, Clark found a way to get the kill. He hit off the hands, he hammered through the block, he kept swinging hard and swinging smart. The Trojans never figured out how to stop him.
UCI had the benefit of two borderline calls. They won the first set on a whisper of a touch. If Ciarelli’s attack had been called in, the Trojans may have won a set and changed the outcome of the match. But as the game wore on, it was clear the Anteaters had no intention of giving in.
The last play of the match was an ace serve that went untouched by the USC pass receivers. And with that, the celebration commenced. John Speraw and his Anteaters have been to the Finals of the Final Four three times. They have won the title every single time.
USC was gracious in the loss as was its senior star Ciarelli, who has been through more than his share of heartbreak in the playoffs. He’ll walk away with three Final Four appearances and two chances at the national title. The best team won this one, but the 3-0 set score in the history books just doesn’t do this match justice.
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