Injured Bruins plan to show what it means to be No. 1

By Diamond Leung
Daily Bruin Senior Staff

The list goes on and on for the UCLA men’s volleyball
team.

Freshman outside hitter Jonathan Acosta remains sidelined by
injury, junior setter Rich Nelson is bothered by a sprained thumb
and Matt Komer has shoulder tendinitis.

UCLA (14-3, 9-2 MPSF) has lost two of its last four matches,
sophomore middle blocker Chris Peña is struggling and the
Bruins still need a consistent starter at the outside hitter
position.

“No,” said Komer, when asked if the team has been
struggling. “We’ve just had a lot of matches in the
last two weeks. We might have been a little worn out.”

So?

Despite all that, the Bruins are not in any real sort of
disarray. They regained their No. 1 ranking Tuesday. And with all
of that in mind, they visit Cal State Northridge (9-6, 5-5)
tonight.

Peña also isn’t worried about the team’s play,
let alone CSUN, a team only ranked No. 12 out of 22 in the
nation.

“I don’t know anything about Northridge,” he
said. “As long as we win; that’s what I’m really
concerned about.”

As of Monday, UCLA head coach Al Scates hasn’t even looked
at his scouting report on CSUN.

“I’m just focusing on what we do on our side of the
net,” he said. “I’m just trying to improve our
game.”

But Komer remains on edge.

“Northridge is a team that could upset us,” he said.
“They did two years ago. We know what they’re capable
of.”

Two years ago, CSUN stunned the Bruins 3-1 at the Wooden Center.
In that match J.P. Jandreau and Eckhard Walter combined for 55
kills.

Jandreau and Eckhard will lead CSUN once again this time around,
but the Bruins are just concentrating on their own game.

The Bruins have been anything but perfect at times. Peña
likes to say that the team has lulls. Komer is calling for
consistency.

Whatever. The Bruins are still No. 1.