April 14, 1999
STANFORD, Calif. - The Stanford men's volleyball team left Burnham Pavilion for the 1999 season with a loss, a five-game heartbreaking defeat to 12th-ranked Pacific tonight in MPSF action. Game scores were 9-15, 6-15, 15-7, 15-6, 23-21.
The Cardinal needed a victory tonight to remain alive for a berth in the league tournament. After two games, Stanford looked like it was going to have that win, hitting .423 as a team behind 15 kills from Patrick Klein and 12 from Brett Youngberg.
The match tempo slowed in the third frame, but the Tigers' Vladimir Andric recorded 12 of his match-high 50 kills in the game as Stanford committed numerous unforced errors, including eight serving miscues.
Game five was a thriller. Stanford held off four Pacific match points, while the Tigers prevented the Cardinal from taking the match three times. A Stanford hitting error gave the victory to the visitors.
The Cardinal fell to an even 10-10 overall, 7-10 in the MPSF, while the Tigers improved to 14-10, 10-9 in the conference. Pacific won the season series 2-0. Stanford dropped a match to the Tigers in this manner two weeks ago in Stockton, unable to hold a two game lead.
Klein, a senior, ended his last home match of his collegiate career with 34 kills in the losing effort. Youngberg finished the night with 22 kills while Josh Palacios posted a double-double of 12 kills, 15 digs.
Seniors Jeremy Bart and Chris Griffith were also honored tonight, as they too ended their Cardinal careers.
Tonight's match will be replayed on Cable Co-op on Sun., April 18 at 8:30 p.m.
Stanford will close out its regular season schedule on the road, taking on third-ranked UCLA and ninth-ranked UC Irvine. The Cardinal will play the Bruins on Fri., April 16 at Pauley Pavilion and the Anteaters on Sat., April 17 in Crawford Hall. Both matches will begin at 7 p.m.
No. 12 Pacific 9 6 15 15 23 No. 15 Stanford 15 15 7 6 21
Records: Pacific (14-10, 10-9 MPSF) Stanford (10-10, 7-10 MPSF)