AVCA National Player of the Week and MPSF/Molton Offensive Player of the Week Cooper Robinson stood on the sidelines Thursday night.

Through the first 15 games of the 2025 campaign, coach John Hawks hadn’t once left the redshirt junior outside hitter out of the starting lineup.

Despite benching several starters, Robinson included, No. 2 UCLA men’s volleyball (14-3, 4-0 MPSF) completed its season sweep of Vanguard (6-11, 1-5) in three sets at the Freed Center for Leadership and Service on Thursday and again at Pauley Pavilion on Saturday. The doubleheader marked Vanguard’s first-ever contests against the back-to-back national champions in the team’s inaugural year with the MPSF.

With a respective 12 and 13 Bruins stepping foot on the hardwood each night, Hawks said the flurry of substitutions offered some of the bench talent a much-deserved chance in the action.

“We’ve got a really good starting group, and the chances to get in become few and far between, so to get them an opportunity to get in, … that’s what a good team culture is about,” Hawks said. “Our guys are so happy that those guys can go in there and showcase what they can do.”

Clocking zero playing time in the second half of the doubleheader and just a set and a half in Costa Mesa, California, junior outside hitter Zach Rama joined his counterpart pin hitter on the sideline. Meanwhile, Robinson played his sole frame and a half in Westwood.

Despite garnering just nine kills over 20 sets prior to the matches against the Lions, freshman outside hitter Sean Kelly sported a career-high 11 kills and six kills Thursday and Saturday.

The start – which would have ordinarily gone to Robinson or Rama – allowed Kelly to advertise more than just his offensive capabilities. In addition to a .526 hitting percentage Thursday, the fresh arrival from Loyola High School – whom he shares an alma mater with in Robinson – accumulated seven digs and three block assists across the two affairs.

Kelly noted the energetic presence of the squad behind him who offered encouragement after every point. A service ace by the freshman was met with a plethora of back pats and hollers of praise.

“They give energy to everyone who steps on the court,” Kelly said. “We try to do that for them every day, as they’re starters, but they were awesome. They cheered us on and supported us the whole time.”

Besides Robinson and Rama, junior setter Andrew Rowan – a two-time AVCA First Team All-American – was found off the court more often than otherwise.

In his leave, freshman setter Trent Taliaferro earned yet another opportunity to showcase his abilities in orchestrating the team’s offense this weekend, following his debut as play-caller last week.

“It can be hard for setters sometimes, finding different hitting windows for different players,” said Taliaferro, who notched a combined 45 assists by Saturday’s end. “But I’ve played with these guys for a while, and I’m picking up where everybody likes their sets, and it’s getting better. I’m glad we could get a lot of guys in over the weekend.”

In place of the makeshift two-libero system that has put the Bruins under defensive scrutiny for the past two years, junior Coleman McDonough singlehandedly took on the mantle of libero against Vanguard. McDonough, who looked to be the most likely replacement last season following the graduation of Troy Gooch, found himself on the bench after producing inadequate numbers in the eyes of former head coach John Speraw.

Instead, redshirt junior libero Matthew Aziz – in combination with sophomore outside hitter Luca Curci – has filled the position, with the duo combining for 87 digs this season.

Re-donning the white jersey, however, McDonough put up three digs at the Freed Center and posted another seven at Pauley Pavilion.

“We obviously have a lot of pieces here, and we’re giving Coleman a good run so that we can get some good video on him,” Hawks said. “I thought Coleman did a nice job for us. The fact is that we have opportunities for guys, and we’re going to give them those shots. Right now, this is the time to do that.”

McDonough wasn’t the only Bruin to return to a familiar capacity. Reclaiming his original role as outside hitter, Curci removed the libero colors for the first time this season, swinging at an overall .643 clip over the two matches while also generating a game-high seven kills Saturday. Given those back-to-back performances, it’s reassuring to know Curci can substitute for either role, Hawks said.

A slew of other members of the squad were rotated at Hawks’ whim, with starts also given to middle blockers redshirt sophomore Christopher Hersh – who garnered a career-high three kills Saturday – and sophomore Micah Wong Diallo, who tied his season-high at three of his own on both nights.

“I’m super pumped for the guys, everybody coming in and playing a role,” Hawks said. “We have good volleyball players in this team, and I’m so happy to see those guys go out there. … It’s just a good team effort. Proud of them.”