The men's volleyball team had not lost a season opening match in the last eight years.

The No. 5 Cougars hoped to continue that streak as they opened the season against No. 4 Stanford Friday.

Prior to the game, President Bateman awarded the 2001 National Championship team with championship rings and presented the National Championship trophy to the team.

Hector Lebron and Mac Wilson unveiled the National Championship banner.

That was the only celebrating the team would do Friday night, Jan. 11.

Stanford battled ahead to win the first two games, led by outside hitter Curt Toppel who had 12 kills and a .500 attack percentage.

Toppel ended the night with 22 kills and a .462 hitting percentage.

The Cougars and Cardinal battled in the third game, when back-to-back aces by Rafael Paal helped BYU to a 26-23 lead and eventually a 30-26 win.

The Cougars came out strong in game four, starting with a service ace by Mike Wall. They soon fell behind and were unable to catch up as Stanford won the match 1-3 (27-30, 29-31, 30-26, 19-30).

"Certainly we played a poor match tonight, we weren't focused, we weren't very good," coach Carl McGown said.

Saturday night was a different story for the Cougars.

The team came out and won Saturday night 3-2 (27-30, 30-26, 29-31, 30-28, 15-13).

The Cardinal grabbed the lead quickly and never trailed in the first game.

The Cougars had an early 4-1 lead in the second game, and despite a Stanford rally, the Cougars pulled out a 30-26 win.

In game three the Cougars hit a dismal .282, and dropped the game 29-31.

The Cougars trailed 26-24 in game four, but after a timeout, they won six out of the next eight points to win the game.

BYU used that momentum to take an early 3-0 lead in game five, and never trailed on its way to a 15-13 victory.

Stanford's Toppel led all players Saturday with 32 kills and a .472 hitting percentage, but it was not enough to overcome the Cougars who were led by Wall (25 kills) and Joaquin Acosta (20 kills).

"We didn't do the things we needed to do tonight," Toppel said.

McGown said he wanted the players to come and throw their hearts on the floor and compete.

Wall led the Cougars with 25 kills, including the match winner.

"That's when I want the ball - at the end of the game," Wall said.

The Cougars host a double-header against Pacific next weekend.

McGown said Pacific is at the same level as Stanford and that the Cougars are going to need a good week of practice.

The matches will be in the Smith Fieldhouse at 7 p.m.

Copyright Brigham Young University 13 Jan 2002