Matadors Fire First Volley and Beat La Verne

The environment, more like a scrimmage than a match, was eerily quiet, perhaps because Cal State Northridge fans weren’t sure what to expect.

The Matadors, 3-21 last season, were on the court for the first time, playing La Verne, a Division III men’s volleyball team that hung one of those losses on Northridge last season.

This time, despite a so-so effort--it certainly looked like an opener at times--the Matadors took care of La Verne, 15-7, 15-5, 15-3, Wednesday night in a nonconference match at Northridge.

Eckhard Walter, a 6-foot-10 opposite hitter from Germany, had seven aces, one short of the school record he set against Pacific last season, and the Matadors were never threatened by depleted and inexperienced La Verne.

Only the Matadors’ nerves got in the way.

J.P. Jandreau had 12 kills, but also six hitting errors, and Adam Black had almost as many hitting errors, three, as kills, four.

“Coach said he made notes on what we what we need to work on,” Walter said. “He said there are a lot of things.”

The list might be long, a few positives were hard to ignore.

Walter, who recently returned from a 16-day trip to Berlin, was unstoppable with his jump serve and delivered 10 kills.

Junior Mosones struggled last season, but took a step toward a successful season with 10 kills in 16 attempts.

Freshman Jeff Toon, a former middle blocker at Kennedy High, was efficient, with seven kills in nine attempts.

La Verne wasn’t so fortunate.

Playing without two injured starters, the Leopards (0-4) were swept for the fourth time this season. Their other losses were to UC Irvine, Pepperdine and UC Santa Barbara, future Mountain Pacific Sports Federation opponents for the Matadors.

“Northridge might have some difficulty with the other teams as far as speed,” said Coach Jack Coberly of La Verne. “They’re real quick and they dig everything up.”