UCLA hopes to continue run over Matadors

Wednesday, February 17, 1999

UCLA hopes to continue run over Matadors

VOLLEYBALL: After two easy matches, team looks to improve
defense, use tough offense to gouge opposition

By Nick Taylor

Daily Bruin Contributor

Following two impressive three-game sweeps over UCSD and SDSU,
the UCLA men’s volleyball team travels to Cal State Northridge on
Wednesday to face the Matadors and looks to extend its season high
seven-match winning streak. It may have taken a while, but the No.
3 Bruins are finally beginning to punish teams on the floor.

UCLA dominated winless San Diego State on Friday behind Adam
Naeve’s 12 kills and six blocks. Danny Farmer added 10 kills and
nine digs, and the Bruins easily put the Aztecs away at 15-5, 15-8
and 15-5.

After that lopsided affair, UCLA faced the even more hapless
UCSD Tritons who were 0-8 in league. UCLA coach Al Scates rested
his starters on Saturday and used the second string team against
UCSD.

And the Bruins still managed to pound the Tritons 15-13, 15-9,
15-4. Ed Ratledge – who if not for the recent spectacular
performances by Evan Thatcher would be starting at the opposite
position – began the match and led the team with 20 kills and six
in-your-face aces. In two starts this year Ratledge has scored 35
kills.

More Bruin reserves shone against the Tritons, as Seth Champi
and Matt Grace both had nine kills and combined for 11 block
assists in UCLA’s swarm-to-the-hitter defense on the block.

The Bruins continue to face a soft stretch in their schedule.
They face Northridge on Wednesday, having previously swept the
school by scores of 15-3, 15-9, and 15-4.

"We didn’t really play well,"said setter Brandon Taliaferro
after that match.

With that kind of attitude driving them, the Bruins put the San
Diego schools away easily and looks to perform even better against
Northridge this time.

"We could have used the second team both matches and killed
them," said Champi. But, he added, "We’ve been beating bad teams.
We still need to play better."

While they dominated the Matadors on the scoreboard, the Bruins
allowed them to hit .247 overall. This is not a high number, but
UCLA thinks it can improve more on defense.

"Once we get to know a team’s tendencies," Scates said, "then we
can stop them on defense."

With UCLA having seen everything that Northridge has, one would
assume that the Bruins could beat the Matadors by an even bigger
margin, if Scates’ words prove to be prophetic. Certainly, even if
the defense does not dominate, UCLA can rely on its powerful
offense on Wednesday.

Having already hit .514 the last time the two teams played, UCLA
is now hitting on all cylinders. Thatcher is back in form, outside
hitter Mark Williams has been hot all season, and Naeve and Farmer
in the middle are impenetrable. In addition, the Bruins received
standout performances from their back-up quick hitters Champi and
Grace, proving that the Bruins are two deep at every position.

UCLA remains only one game behind BYU for first place in the
MPSF (Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) Mountain Division
standings. If the Bruins win their next three matches, as they are
heavily favored to do, they will travel to Utah for a two-match
showdown against BYU for first place in the division in late
February. For now, though, the task remains Cal State Northridge at
Northridge this Wednesday.

BEN SCHWARTZ

Senior Fred Robbins serves the ball across the court during the
Bruins’ match against USC last Wednesday.

Comments, feedback, problems?

© 1998 ASUCLA Communications Board[Home]