Men’s volleyball sweeps Canadian collegiate champions in exhibition
Coach John Speraw’s team began its season Saturday night with a three-set exhibition game win over the defending Canadian collegiate champions – the University of Alberta. (Jose Ubeda/Daily Bruin staff)
By Tanner Walters
Jan. 5, 2015 8:30 a.m.
With only three upperclassmen, the UCLA men’s volleyball team introduced a much younger lineup in its initial exhibition game on Saturday night. The match was scheduled against the University of Alberta – the defending Canadian collegiate champions – but the Bruins swept the Golden Bears in three sets.
UCLA was led offensively by redshirt senior middle blocker Clayton Paullin and freshman outside hitter Jake Arnitz. Alberta, which was previously 14-0 in Canadian Interuniversity Sport matches, struggled to stop both players as they combined for 25 of UCLA’s 42 kills, consistently finding ways past the Alberta blocking front.
“It was interesting to play them, because typically we’ll have some video of a team playing and some tendencies, but we didn’t have any of that,” Paullin said. “It was still a super fun match.”
Before the exhibition, the two teams had a joint practice on Friday. Although the two schools have played exhibitions in recent years, it was the first time that UCLA coach John Speraw organized a time for both teams to prepare together, Paullin said.
“It’s just kind of cool to get to play with someone from Canada and get to see how someone else plays,” Arnitz said. “(An exhibition) is for sure less pressure, but it’s still the first game of the season. To be able to get the ‘W’ is a good start and helps the momentum.”
After a rocky first set in which the Bruins came from behind to win 25-23, the team found its rhythm and held wire-to-wire victories in the final sets, winning 25-19 and 25-20.
Junior setter Steve O’Dell had 33 of UCLA’s 39 assists, and sophomore middle blocker Mitch Stahl led the team defensively with five blocks. With 10 players getting into the match on Saturday, Speraw said that the team’s depth will allow the coaches to figure out the best lineup going forward.
“It was nice for us to play decent volleyball in our very first volleyball match, so I think the first thing we can do is maybe take a little bit of confidence moving forward,” Speraw said. “Next match against Laval (University), we’ll probably play a little bit of a different lineup, and then once we get to league (matches), we’ll make some decisions about who we’re gonna put on the floor, but I like what I see so far.”
UCLA is ranked No. 5 in the opening American Volleyball Coaches Association poll and will end its exhibition schedule against Laval on Monday night. The Bruins then begin regular season play in the UC Santa Barbara asics Invitational on Friday.
