Bruins prepare to face Trojans in men’s volleyball after last year’s victory
Sophomore opposite/setter Micah Ma’a is one of only four Bruins to play every single set this season. Ma’a has notched 107 assists and 24 kills, which rank first and fifth on the team respectively. (Hannah Ye/Daily Bruin senior staff)
By Grant Sugimura
Jan. 20, 2017 1:06 a.m.
Ali vs. Frazier, Coke vs. Pepsi, the Hatfields vs. the McCoys – all of these are iconic rivalries and another one will play out Friday.
The No. 2 UCLA men’s volleyball team (5-1, 3-0 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) will take on USC (2-4, 1-2 MPSF) in Pauley Pavilion nearly a year after the Trojans last visited, when the Bruins downed the Trojans in four sets.
Last season was a comparatively dismal one for the Trojans in which they finished 7-19. Thus 2017 is a transitional period as returning stars try to mesh with new talent and USC attempts to regain lost footing.
Outside hitter Lucas Yoder is, once again, the focal point for the Trojans coming in with 121 kills on the season. Yoder led the team last year with 273 kills over the course of 25 games. However, UCLA will have to face a plethora of players they have never, or have rarely, seen. Trojan freshman opposite Aaron Strange and a trio of sophomores who saw limited action last year in middle blocker Connor Inlow, libero Matt Douglas and outside hitter Blake Markland will be across the net this time around.
UCLA coach John Speraw has pointed out that the Bruins’ energy has been low at times, but he does not foresee this to be a problem against the Trojans.
“There are some special aspects to being a Bruin, and one of them is trying to beat the Trojans,” Speraw said. “So I know the energy will be there for us, the energy will be there for them as well, and because of that it’s all a great equalizer.”
USC’s best win to date came during its 3-1 victory over then-No.3 Long Beach State.
The catalyst for that win came courtesy of the Trojans’ passing attack which, in turn, allowed Yoder to swing for 28 kills. Setter Gert Lisha tallied a game-high 50 assists and four other Trojans also notched assists.
“(USC) is a great passing team,” said senior libero Jackson Bantle. “So if we can win the serving and passing game, against them, I think we’re going to be in pretty good shape.”
Although they swept Cal Baptist on Wednesday night, the Bruins were unhappy with the way they performed, and Speraw pulled his team away to the locker room to discuss the situation.
[Related: Men’s volleyball defeats Cal Baptist, despite decreasing attack accuracy]
After the meeting, UCLA played down the prospect of facing its biggest crosstown rival.
“It’s special to play USC, for sure,” said sophomore opposite/setter Micah Ma’a. “But I think it would be immature for us to come out of a game like that and focus on our opponent when the message is to focus on ourselves.”
