The first two sets seemed to be a déjà vu of the 2025 NCAA championship final all over again.

Despite the reigning national champions being poised to add another notch to their belt, the Bruins refused to let history repeat itself.

Clawing back in a nerve-wracking reverse sweep stunner Friday night, No.1 UCLA men’s volleyball (10-0, 3-0 MPSF) toppled No. 2 Long Beach State (8-1) in a 3-2 victory at Walter Pyramid. The Bruins extended their undefeated streak to open the season, despite being on the precipice of a sweep Friday – the same outcome as the 2025 national championship match against the Beach.

“I think our guys really responded,” said coach John Hawks. “We talked about between sets two and three, just somebody making a play, one little play, and then building on top of that, just kind of getting trust.”

The Beach’s serving pressure – 10 aces to just UCLA’s three – forced the Bruins out of system, especially on the attack. The Bruins accumulated eight attacking errors in the opening set alone, being held to a -.136 clip. Redshirt junior opposite David Decker struggled in particular, finishing with one more error than he did kills.

Long Beach capitalized on that inconsistency, taking the first two frames 25-16 and 25-22 behind aggressive offense. The Beach were led by opposite Skyler Varga’s 12 kills, alongside 10 from opposite Daniil Hershtynovich and outside Alex Kandev each.

“Honestly, overall, I think we just came out flat,” said senior setter Andrew Rowan. “My setting decisions weren’t the best. Our attackers weren’t hitting the best. None of us were serving the best. None of us were passing the best and they were playing out of their minds.”

Two sets down the pipe, the third stanza looked in reach for the Beach. But between tightened techniques and cleaner movements, the pendulum swung and the energy shifted in the third set, with the Bruins capturing it 25-22.

Redshirt junior libero Christopher Connelly – who transferred from Long Beach State last year – anchored the defensive turnaround, leading the team with 13 digs on the night, stabilizing the team’s serve receive. The Naples, Florida, local has set career-highs in digs in back-to-back games, previously notching 11 against then-No. 13 Ohio State on Jan. 29.

“I think we all just had to breathe,” Connelly said. “It was an amazing crowd. It was loud and they brought the energy. So we were like, ‘We have to bring the energy back.’”

Senior outside hitter Zach Rama delivered steady production from the left side, finishing with a match-high 21 kills on a .341 clip. Rowan helped orchestrate the quick turnaround, recording 45 overall assists, spreading the ball across the floor and incorporating more pin-hitters to help regain the Bruins’ efficiency.

In the final set, the Bruins flipped the script, hitting at a clean .529 clip, void of any attack errors, while holding the Beach to a mere -.063 clip. UCLA’s defensive pressure at the net strengthened in the latter half of the match, with redshirt junior middle blocker Christopher Hersh leading the game with six blocks.

Hersh stepped in to start his first game of the season against the Beach, in place of an injured junior middle blocker Micah Wong Diallo. Friday’s match was also the first full game that the Cupertino, California, local has appeared in, playing just one or two sets each in four games prior.

Between timely kills and poignant blocks, UCLA eked out a 13-10 lead to end the game, before Rama delivered his 21st kill of the match to clinch set point. Ultimately, it was Rowan – the team’s leader in service aces – who knocked down the game-winning ace, his only one of the night.

“With that momentum, we were able to make plays,” Rowan said. “Things become more clear, and we were able to make decisions more calculated. I thought we did a great job of leveling up.”

The Bruins overcame their earlier struggles, adjusted under pressure and ended the night with their most efficient volleyball yet, outscoring the Beach 40-29 across the last two sets.

After hitting negatively from the field in the first frame, UCLA concluded the match with a .254 hitting percentage, compared to Long Beach’s .193, while forcing 21 attacking errors. The Bruins held the Beach to its worst offensive outing of the season, having hit at least .300 each game prior.

In contrast, the Bruins saw diverse efforts, including another 14 kills from sophomore outside hitter Sean Kelly and a .500 hitting clip from senior middle blocker Cameron Thorne.

“Resiliency has been our key all year,” Hawks said. “We stayed true to ourselves, and we believed in each other, and we trusted each other.”