M. volleyball set for tough UCSB rematch
By Daily Bruin Staff
Feb. 1, 1996 9:00 p.m.
M. volleyball set for tough UCSB rematch
No. 2 Bruins must stave off hothanded Harris for victory
By Ruben Gutierrez
Daily Bruin Staff
In a rematch of its first contest of the season, the UCLA men’s
volleyball team will travel to Santa Barbara tomorrow evening, to
face the No. 4 Gauchos at Rob Pavilion in an important Mountain
Sports Pacific Federation match.
In their previous meeting this season, the No. 2 Bruins (4-1
overall, 1-0 MPSF) defeated the Gauchos (3-1, 3-0) 15-7, 15-5,
14-16, 17-16. The victory came in the finals of the UCSB Collegiate
Invitational.
"We lost that third game against them, and we barely won the
fourth game against them," UCLA head coach Al Scates said. "They
should come in with a lot of confidence, so it will be a real
battle up there. Once again, they scheduled the little gym for us,
Rob Gym, so we’ll be playing in front of a cozy little gathering,
whatever they can pack in there."
Recently, junior Donny Harris has been the hot hand for
UCSB.
Last week, Harris put away 50 kills in a five-gamer against
Pepperdine to earn the American Volleyball Coaches Association
player of the week honors. In four matches, Harris has put down a
stunning 129 kills and is hitting at a .329 clip on the season.
After tallying 14 roofs in the same match, middle blocker Rob
Treahy averages nearly two blocks per game.
Currently, two freshmen start for UCLA. Fred Robins starts at
swing hitter for the Bruins, a role he did not play during UCLA’s
last run-in with the Gauchos.
After being inserted into the starting lineup at the Outrigger
Invitational last weekend in Hawaii, Robins emerged as the team
leader in kills per game. Though he failed to duplicate his Hawaii
numbers Tuesday at Northridge, Robins looms as a major factor with
the Gauchos, who will likely scout the Bruins off their first
meeting.
Freshman Dan Farmer now mans one quick-hitter spot in place of
the injured James Turner. Junior Paul Nihipali takes over the
opposite position, where he garnered All-American honors a year
ago, while sophomore quick hitter Tom Stillwell has been the Bruin
ace of late.
Stillwell recorded nine block assists and a match-high eight
kills against the Matadors.
FRED HE/Daily Bruin
Paul Nihiapali moves back to opposite against UCSB.
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