Banner Season for CSUN Still Doesn’t Measure Up

Some college teams measure success by how many national championship banners they can hang in the gymnasium. But at Cal State Northridge, the men’s volleyball team measures success by a different litmus test.

The Matadors, who compete in the NCAA Division I Western Intercollegiate Volleyball Assn., consider each conference victory another step toward respectability and each loss another lesson.

Hawaii played the role of guest tutor Wednesday night at CSUN, handing the Matadors a 15-9, 15-12, 15-4 WIVA loss in their season finale. Although Northridge (15-19, 7-11 in conference play) finished with a losing record, many team members and the coach felt this season was a success.

“We had a great season,” Coach John Price said. “We played well and got better as the season progressed.”

Such optimism didn’t stem from losing to the No. 3-ranked Rainbows. Instead, many of the Matadors were still thinking about such things as a first-time victory over Pepperdine.

“This is CSUN’s best season ever,” setter Tom Ribarich said. “But there were some crucial matches we should have won.”

Had Northridge not lost to San Diego State at home and at Stanford and Cal State Long Beach, the Matadors would be in the regional playoffs that start April 28.

“We’re disappointed. With hindsight, we should have beaten those teams,” Price said. “We’re disappointed, but at the same time, it was a good year for us.”

Northridge’s loss to Hawaii was a microcosm of its season. The Matadors played the Rainbows even through most of the match, but still found a way to lose all three games.

“I didn’t feel we played well,” Price said. “But we were close and that’s the way it’s been all year--close.”

Hawaii (22-4, 13-3) jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the first game, but CSUN tied the score, 7-7, on a spike and two stuffs by Robert Samuelson before the Rainbows scored eight of the game’s last 10 points.

The Rainbows continued to dominate in the opening minutes of the second game and appeared ready to blow CSUN out when they were serving with a 14-1 lead. But the Matadors scored 11 consecutive points on impressive hitting from Ron Graening and Kien Do.

Even though Northridge lost the game when Do and John Damitz let a serve fall untouched in between them, the Matadors proved in the second game that they could compete with the best in the nation.

“Hopefully, we’ll learn from our mistakes,” Ribarich said. “That’s the only good that will come out of it. We’ve just got to keep looking forward and don’t dwell on the past.”