Jan. 8, 2013

Box Score

post-match comments

Five proved to be the magic number as the Bruin men's volleyball team took down Cal State Northridge (0-1, 0-1) in the MPSF Conference opener for both teams in the full five sets. Scores of the match were 25-18, 19-25, 25-19, 18-25 and 15-13. UCLA improves to 3-1 on the season and 1-0 in MPSF Conference action. All four matches this season have gone the distance.

UCLA had to rally from an 8-7 deficit at the set five side change. A kill by Gonzalo Quiroga tied the score at eight. UCLA grabbed a 10-9 lead thanks to Spencer Rowe's kill. The set was then tied at 10 and again at ll-all before another kill by Rowe terminated a long rally and pushed the Bruins to a 12-11 advantage. Quiroga put the Bruins up by two and UCLA took a 14-11 lead after a CSUN hitting error. The Matadors scored the next two points and forced UCLA to call a timeout. Quiroga then ended the match with a kill off of a set from Steve O'Dell.

The Bruins controlled the action throughout set 1, going up 6-3 and moved out to a 17-12 advantage on a kill by Robart Page and a 20-13 margin on a service ace by Clayton Paullin. CSUN never got closer than five points the rest of the way.

In set 2, Northridge grabbed an early lead, before UCLA fought back and the set was tied at 5, 7, and 10-all. The Bruins went ahead 15-13, following a CSUN error, but could not sustain the momentum. The visitors quickly knotted the set at 15-all and then took a 21-17 advantage. A couple of blocks earned the Matadors the final two points of the set for a 25-19 win.

In set 3, some outstanding play from Dane Worley and Kene Izuchukwu down the stretch helped the Bruins to a 25-19 decision. Worley put UCLA ahead 22-17 with a kill. He then recorded a block for point 23 and added another kill for point 24, while Izuchukwu scored the decisive kill.

In set 4, CSUN took control and jumped out to a 10-6 lead and extended the margin to 18-11. UCLA got as close as 21-17 on Rowe's service ace, but Northridge soon closed out the set, at 25-18, and forced a fifth set.

Page led UCLA with 16 kills while Worley and Quiroga each finished with 13. Page added four block assists and Worley totaled two block solos and three block assists.O'Dell racked up 46 set assists on the night. Worley topped UCLA with 18 digs and Evan Mottram recorded 14.

UCLA travels to Hawai'i and begins play in the Outrigger Tournament in Honolulu on Thursday with a match against Penn State (6 p.m.). The Bruins will meet Ohio State on Friday (6 p.m.) and Hawai'i (9 p.m.) on Saturday. The next home match is a conference battle on Tuesday, Jan. 15 in Pauley Pavilion against Cal State Long Beach at 7 p.m.