CSUN VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW: THIS SEASON, THERE'S A FRESH PERSPECTIVE.

Byline: Brian Dohn Daily News Staff Writer

They can scrimmage rather than work on fundamentals.

Indeed, a basic notion, but also an indication of where the Cal State Northridge men's volleyball team was a year ago.

Entering its second season following CSUN president Blenda Wilson's reprieve of the sport, the Matadors' attitude has shifted from survival mode to playoff expectations.

``It's awesome coming to practice now because you're fired up for every practice,'' said junior defensive specialist Pat Lufrano, an Alemany High graduate. ``I think guys realize we can be really good this year, that we can do some great things and go really far. Last year there was a `We have to battle for our program' kind of attitude. We had to have a good season to keep our program.''

A much more relaxed and prepared CSUN begins the season Friday at the two-day, 20-team UC Santa Barbara Invitational, which brings together a collection of club and varsity teams. Included in CSUN's bracket is top-ranked and defending national champion UCLA.

``We're further along, right now, than we were at the end of last year,'' CSUN second-year coach Jeff Campbell said. ``We are so far ahead of where we were. It's the talent level, and the guys that are returning are in the system.''

Even though Wilson reinstated volleyball, the knee-jerk reaction to the cutting of the sport in 1997 caused an exodus that left the program with a handful of players.

The instability didn't end there. Coach John Price left, and Campbell, a longtime assistant, was named interim coach. To make matters worse, the recruiting season was over, and Campbell was forced to scour area junior colleges for leftovers. CSUN finished 10-14, going 6-13 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.

``It's one of the top questions parents ask, the stability factor,'' Campbell said. ``The fact I'm in the position I'm at and have the style contract I have, a three-year deal, really helps out as far as stability goes. The stability factor is there now, where it wasn't a year or two ago. The recruits we got this year are fantastic.''

With a full year of recruiting, Campbell says he's brought in a talented crop of freshmen led by outside hitter Eckhard Walter, a 6-foot-10 import who played for six years on the German Junior National Team.

``They really expect a lot of me, but it's tough work for me,'' said Walter, whose international background affords him a different perspective. ``It's a pretty good team, but some players are inexperienced, so we're going to need a lot of work.''

Unlike a year ago when the best CSUN could muster was a mish-mosh starting lineup, the Matadors will have a pair of freshmen - including All-American J.P. Jandreau from Tempe, Ariz. - a sophomore, two juniors and a senior.

Campbell also called this collection the most athletic he's had in his nine seasons at CSUN.

``We're twice as far along as we were last year,'' third-year outside hitter Junior Mosones said. ``Although we're young and don't have much experience, we have a lot of guys who want to be here, and that's good for us. Knowing that it's stable and it's going to be here for a while, that's going to help us.''