Taking a team off its high horse is hard enough – let alone the No. 1 team in the nation.

With a two-game winning streak in the books, there is much to anticipate in the Bruins’ first regular-season tournament.

No. 1 UCLA men’s volleyball (2-0, 1-0 MPSF) has the chance to maintain its winning streak at the First Point Collegiate Challenge, where it will face No. 16 Ball State (3-0) on Saturday and last season’s MIVA conference champions, No. 6 Loyola Chicago (1-1), on Sunday in Phoenix, Arizona, at the Phoenix Convention Center.

Although UCLA swept through its first two matches, the squad has struggled to limit its serving errors, committing 18 errors in its first matchup against then-No. 15 McKendree Friday and 11 errors against Concordia University Irvine Sunday.

“From a serving standpoint, we were serving pretty effectively, but we ended our own run, so we scored two points and missed the serve, scored two points (then missed) the serve,” said coach John Hawks.

But the Bruins’ defensive caliber has overridden their mistakes, and they are averaging eight blocks and 20.5 digs a game so far. With former libero Matthew Aziz having graduated last year, there is an opportunity for a new defensive strategy. Redshirt junior libero and Long Beach State transfer Christopher Connelly has a chance to spearhead this defensive evolution.

The Naples, Florida, local brings championship experience after helping win the 2025 national title with the Beach, playing 48 sets across 15 matches last season. In his first couple of games in the blue and gold, he tallied 11 digs, which may signal his defensive potential for UCLA this season.

“I’m adjusting quite nicely,” Connelly said. “It’s so awesome. Everyone’s been more than kind, so welcoming. I was really fortunate and very lucky to get into this program.”

First-Team All-MPSF senior outside hitter Zach Rama also serves as a flexible outlet for the Bruins, switching back to his primary pin-hitting position after manning the opposite in 2025. Rama started in 27 of the Bruins’ 29 games last season. The Phoenix local leads the team with 27 total kills on a .420 hitting percentage this season.

The Bruins will have their first opportunity to strategize against NCAA Division I opponents at the upcoming tournament after beating two NCAA Division II schools to kickstart their 2026 campaign.

UCLA has not played Ball State since 2016, but the Bruins have an all-time 6-2 record against the Cardinals.

Ball State is undefeated to start its season, averaging more than 14 kills per set as a team. Opposite Ryan Louis leads his team with 48 total kills so far.

Although UCLA has a 7-0 all-time record against Loyola Chicago, the Ramblers finished their 2025 season with a 25-4 record and clinched the NCAA tournament as the No. 4 seed.

A win for the Bruins against the Ramblers would prove to be even more meaningful for Coach Hawks, who stated his personal connection with the former MIVA champions. He served as the Ramblers’ head coach from 2022-24.

Setter Ryan McElligott led the MIVA with 10.8 assists per set, totaling 1,016 total last season and earning All-MIVA First Team and All-Tournament Team selections along with an AVCA All-American Honorable Mention.

However, the Bruins have their own decorated setter in three-time AVCA First Team All-American Andrew Rowan. The senior setter’s 10.08 assists per set last year topped the MPSF and ranked No. 13 nationally.

“We got a lot of new pieces in the starting lineup,” Rowan said. “Every game is an opportunity to get better.”