Y. volleyball team opens 2006 season tonight

PROVO — The BYU men's volleyball team opens its 2006 season this weekend with a pair of home matches against two-time NAIA defending champion Cal Baptist.

The Cougars play 7 p.m. both tonight and Saturday at the Smith Fieldhouse. It's a two-night repeat from last year's season-openers in Provo, with the two teams splitting the two matches.

The preseason favorite to win the powerhouse-loaded Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, BYU returns five starters — including a pair of All-Americans — from a 20-10 team that finished third in the MPSF but was uncharacteristically ousted early in the quarterfinals of the league tournament.

The Cougars and fourth-year head coach Tom Peterson are looking to return to the NCAA national championships, having finished runner-up to 2003 champ Lewis and winning the 2004 crown over Long Beach State.

Headlining BYU's top returnees are sophomore outside hitter Ivan Perez and senior middle blocker Victor Batista, both second-team All-Americans and second-team all-MPSF selections last season.

Senior setter Rob Neilson, a third-team all-MPSF selection last year is back along with returning starters Brian Rowley at libero and Taylor Evans at outside hitter.

BYU moves into Mountain Pacific competition next weekend, hosting Cal State Northridge in Jan. 13 and 14 matches.

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