Men’s volleyball earns the win after once again battling with Long Beach State for five sets

It seems like the UCLA men’s volleyball team and Long Beach State can’t get enough of each other.

For the third time this season, a match between the two schools went to the fifth set, and for the second time, UCLA came out on top.

In the decisive final set, the Bruins had let a three-point advantage slip to a 13-13 tie against the 49ers.

But after a 49er service error, junior opposite hitter Kyle Caldwell smelled blood. His ensuing kill was the fifth of that set alone that helped to seal the victory 15-13.

“In that set they hit zero as a team,” coach Al Scates said.
“That’s how you win the fifth set.”

An hour earlier, the No. 8 Bruins (11-9, 6-8 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) didn’t look like a team ready to beat such a top-notch opponent. No. 6 Long Beach State (9-7, 8-5) had taken the first set 25-18, led by junior opposite hitter Jim Baughman and his 21 kills.

The 49ers led 4-0 in the second, but the Bruins were quick to catch up and were able to keep pace. Redshirt junior outside hitter Jeremy Casebeer then served in a 7-0 run to blow open the set before UCLA won 25-16. Casebeer totaled 15 kills filling in for freshman outside hitter Robart Page who had been struggling early.

Additionally, junior quick hitter Thomas Amberg’s fractured finger kept him out of the match and required junior quick hitter Nick Vogel to play. Vogel’s team-leading six block assists made him the night’s best defensive player. With Casebeer and Vogel filling in admirably, UCLA’s depth as a team paid off.

The Bruins quickly found themselves up 10-3 in the third set thanks to a brutal defense. From there, they fended off the 49ers until they won 25-19 and took a 2-1 set advantage.

With gritty play by both teams in the fourth, UCLA found itself tied at 21-21, but Long Beach pulled through to a 25-23 victory and forced the fifth.

“(The 49ers) do really well at keeping the ball in play and putting all the pressure on you,” redshirt junior Alex Scattareggia said.

With the win, the Bruins finally beat a higher-ranked team after previously falling to Stanford, Brigham Young and USC. UCLA also turned a two-match spurt into a definite winning streak. The Bruins’ recent success makes them more like the UCLA team that opened the season with a 6-1 record.

The newfound success stems from two attributes of the team. The entire squad’s hitting percentages have been on the rise, and they continue to squeeze out tight wins when it matters. Against Long Beach State and other recent matches, Scates has relied on redshirt freshman outside hitter Matt Hanley as a clutch performer.

“He’s just an athletic little boy,” Casebeer said. “He’s very springy; he can come off the bench cold and still jump serve great.”