In the car for a six-hour round trip for a few hours of championship volleyball???I???ll call it an even trade. Saturday afternoon, a group of friends and I headed up to Columbus for the title game of the 2007 National Collegiate Men???s Volleyball Championship.

The matchup saw UC Irvine defeat IPFW in four games for the first national title in program history. Coincidentally, it was the first time either team had advanced to the finals, so history was definitely going to be made. Obviously with so much on the line, the match was intense with some great players making great plays for their respective teams.

It was my first trip to the men???s finals, so I was more than ready to be a witness to the atmosphere.

There was a bit of a local flavor, too, as Fort Wayne, Indiana, home of the Mastodons, is only a few hours from Columbus. The fans were used to the drive and the arena since IPFW had played at Ohio State the weekend before on its way to the MIVA tournament title.

UC Irvine also had a loyal fan base cheering with each kill and point won. Who knew Anteaters could be so rowdy?

I can only imagine how these student-athletes felt on such a big stage???the game was also televised live on ESPN2???having practiced and played so hard all season building up to this one match.

Having played volleyball for a little more than five years, I am still amazed by how high these guys jump, how hard they hit and how passionate they are about each and every point. I think it???s a testament to their competitive drive and will to win.

Next year???s championship will take place in Irvine, California, so I can assume that will add a little bit more fuel to UCI???s fire to make another finals appearance for a repeat.