Men’s volleyball looks to freeze February funk against Cal Baptist
Freshman setter Micah Ma’a logged double-digit kills in UCLA’s 3-1 loss to Stanford, a performance strong enough to earn Off The Block/Springbak Co-National Freshman of the Week honors. (Hannah Ye/Daily Bruin senior staff)
Men’s volleyball
No. 15 Cal Baptist
Wednesday, 7 p.m.
Pauley Pavilion
By Grant Sugimura
Feb. 24, 2016 12:47 a.m.
UCLA men’s volleyball has lost three games this season – but never two in a row.
The No. 4 Bruins (13-3, 9-3 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) will put that streak on the line against the No. 15 California Baptist Lancers (8-9, 3-9) on Wednesday night at Pauley Pavilion.
Despite the most recent loss to No. 3 Stanford on Sunday, UCLA found a balanced attack to complement its steady setting duo of junior Hagen Smith and freshman Micah Ma’a.
Against the Cardinal, four players had double-digit kills: sophomore outside hitters Jake Arnitz and JT Hatch, redshirt sophomore middle blocker Oliver Martin and Ma’a.
Cal Baptist is coming off losses itself after dropping two matches to No. 2 BYU over the weekend. The Lancers were unable to steal even a single set from the Cougars and saw a statistical regression from the first to the second match.
The Lancers’ lead scorer in the first match was outside hitter Luis Palos who notched 11 kills. In the second match, Palos was unable to register a single kill, hitting -.800 with four errors through the three sets.
Both squads have one man prominently leading the way in kills early in the 2016 season.
The Lancers boast a balanced attack with four players in triple-digit kills on the season and outside hitter Rocky DeLyon leading the way with 162 kills over 60 sets. Arnitz leads the Bruins with 167 over 52 sets.
Despite the statistical similarities, the two teams’ seasons are very different.
The young Bruins have surged to the top of the standings, beating the Lancers in their first meeting 3-0, with only three losses against MPSF powerhouses.
On the other hand, the Lancers, led by two seniors, have a sub .500 record and a conference record that leaves much to be desired at 3-9.
The Bruins have said, multiple times, that February has always been a tough month for them – and it has shown.
All three of the Bruins’ losses on the season have come in the month of February.
But the Lancers have enjoyed a relatively solid February with a 5-3 record although three of those wins came against unranked opponents.
On Wednesday night these two very different teams to decide whether or not the curse of February will continue in Westwood.
Compiled by Grant Sugimura, Bruin Sports contributor.
