Coyotes second in first regional poll

Cal State San Bernardino's 3-1 loss at the hands of Cal State L.A. last Saturday night was reflected in the first NCAA Division II Pacific Region poll that was released Wednesday - the Coyotes are No. 2.

CSUSB, ranked No. 1 in the nation for four weeks  before losing to UC San Diego on Sept. 26, find themselves in the "Avis" spot in the regional poll with 10 matches remaining in the final month of the regular season.

The Tritons took the No. 1 spot in the region poll which determines the eight teams that advance to the NCAA Pacific Regional tournament on Nov. 20-22.

"We're positioned to do what we need to do in the final weeks of the season," said Head Coach Kim Cherniss. "I think the ranking is just. San Diego beat us and we played pretty much the same teams thus far."

Cherniss, whose team is 16-2 overall and 8-2 in the CCAA and tied for the lead going into this weekend's home matches against San Francisco State and Cal State Monterey Bay, said getting past the two Northern California invaders this week is a must.

"Then we have some matchups at home against the two teams that have beaten us," Cherniss said. UCSD is the visitor on Nov. 1 with Cal State L.A. coming in on Nov. 14 in the next-to-last match of the regular season.

Saturday's loss to Cal State L.A. dropped the Coyotes to No. 3 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association top 25 poll behind Concordia St. Paul (21-1) and Tampa (16-1). UCSD is No. 13 and Cal State L.A. went from unranked to No. 19 after back-to-back wins over the Coyotes and No. 23 Cal Poly Pomona.

Somewhat surprising is the fact that Western Washington, ranked No. 3 in the nation and unbeaten heading into last weekend, dropped into a tie for 7^th in the national poll after losing on the road at Alaska Fairbanks.

More surprising was that under the regional ranking formula which includes strength of schedule, the Vikings were ranked No. 9 in the first region poll despite a 13-1 record, 8-1 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

The top eight teams advance to the regional.

            NCAA PACIFIC REGION TOP 10

1. UC San Diego (14-3, 11-2 in region); 2. COYOTES (16-2, 11-2); 3. Cal State L.A. (14-3, 12-3); 4. Cal Poly Pomona (10-5, 10-4); 5. Chico State (14-6, 12-3); 6. Sonoma State (15-4, 14-4); 7. Western Oregon (14-1, 10-0); 8. Alaska Fairbanks (12-5, 9-3); 9. Western Washington (13-1, 8-1); 10. Alaska Anchorage (12-9, 8-4).

                        AVCA NCAA DIV. II TOP 25

1.       Concordia St. Paul (21-1); 2. Tampa (16-1); 3. COYOTES (16-2); 4. West  Texas A&M (20-3); 5. Southwest Minnesota State (20-2); 6. Grand Valley State (18-2); 7. (tie) Western Washington (13-1) and Nebraska Kearney (21-1); 9. Washburn (21-2). 10. Emporia State (22-1).

11.     Florida Southern (16-4); 12. Truman (19-5); 13. UC San Diego (14-3); 14. Central Missouri (20-6); 15. Pittsburg State (19-5); 16. Minnesota Duluth (16-6); 17. Lewis (18-3); 18. California PA. (25-1); 19. Cal State LA (14-3); 20. West Florida (15-5); 21. Northern Kentucky (20-3); 22. Augustana SD (15-6); 23. Cal Poly Pomona (10-5); 24. Indianapolis (20-4); 25. Wayne State (16-3).