UCLA overcomes slow start to defeat Irvine
By Daily Bruin Staff
Feb. 21, 2001 9:00 p.m.
 CATHY JUN Quick hitter Adam Naeve
prepares to smash the ball to UCSB’s side of the court.
UCLA d. UC Irvine 26-30, 30-13, 30-25, 30-20
By Diamond Leung
Daily Bruin Contributor
IRVINE “”mdash; Everyone in the gym knew it was only a matter of
time before the UCLA men’s volleyball team woke up. And when
it did, UC Irvine couldn’t do anything to stop it.
After dropping the first game, the No. 1 Bruins (10-3, 5-1 MPSF)
crawled out of hibernation to crush the No. 12 Anteaters (3-8, 1-5)
Wednesday night 26-30, 30-13, 30-25, 30-20 at Crawford Hall.
“We came out and lost the first game because we had no
energy,” said senior outside hitter Mark Williams.
“Then we just decided as a team that we were going to play
mad, play angry, and just dominate the game.”
There was reason to be angry after the first game. The Bruins
struggled to get their serves in, giving away a slew of free points
to UCI.
The Anteaters played valiantly despite losing their top player,
senior outside hitter Ty Loomis, to a devastating compound leg
fracture in practice Monday.
“The first game I thought we played with great
intensity,” said UCI Head Coach Charlie Brande. “We
were just in a situation to score some points.”
But losing the first game only seemed to wake up the Bruins. In
the second game, behind the serve of senior middle blocker Adam
Naeve, the Bruins took a 4-0 lead and never looked back, blitzing
the Anteaters 30-13.
It was the Bruin service game that ultimately won the match.
Sophomore outside hitter Cameron Mount had five of the
Bruins’ nine aces.
“We just go back and bomb the serves,” said UCLA
Head Coach Al Scates. “We got them in a lot of passing
trouble.”
Sophomore setter Rich Nelson also distributed the ball well.
“I liked Rich’s setting tonight,” Scates said.
“I think he’s starting to connect with the middle
hitters, which is very important. They were really in sync
tonight.”
Naeve finished the night with a match-high 18 kills (.500) and
sophomore middle blocker Scott Morrow had eight kills (.389).
It was an impressive showing for the Bruins after a slow
start.
“I picked UCLA from the beginning. I think they’ll
win (the championship) again,” Brande said.
The Bruins might just do that after getting a little wake-up
call.
