This post was updated April 26 at 12:33 p.m.

Nothing tastes sweeter than ousting a longtime rival on the conference’s grandest stage. 

For the Bruins, the satisfaction was absolute. 

No. 1 seed UCLA men’s volleyball (29-1, 13-1 MPSF) ousted No. 3 seed USC (19-7, 9-5) in four sets at Smith Fieldhouse in Provo, Utah, on Saturday night. The victory marks the Bruins’ first MPSF championship since 2023 – when they defeated Stanford in straight sets – and secures the team an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, which will be hosted at Pauley Pavilion from May 9 to 11.

UCLA entered the final round having already claimed two regular-season victories over its crosstown rival in March, winning its matchups 3-2 and 3-1, respectively. 

Thursday night’s semifinals set the stage for the high-stakes rematch after USC ousted No. 2 seed Pepperdine – UCLA’s only loss this season on April 2 – in a grueling five-set battle. The Bruins punched their ticket by taking down No. 5 BYU in four sets, a win that marked coach John Hawk’s 50th victory as the program’s head honcho.

From the opening serve, the Bruins established a quick tempo, with senior setter Andrew Rowan connecting with senior middle blocker Cameron Thorne early.

Thorne – one of four Bruins nominated to the All-MPSF First Team – totaled six kills on 10 attempts, alongside two blocks and a season-high four digs. The Hollywood, Florida, local was especially effective in meeting Trojans at the frontline, both defensively and to counter a USC wall headlined by two 6-foot-11-plus middle blockers.

“We don’t take every game lightly,” Thorne said. “We treat every team with respect, and USC brought a lot of pressure. We’re going to keep trying to win every game.”

Although Parker Tomkinson and Wesley Smith combined for 10 blocks, with the former accounting for seven, the Bruins were able to conjure enough offensive synergy to capture the conference title. Senior outside hitter Zach Rama paced the game with 18 kills on a .209 hitting percentage, totaling 45 kills across the entire campaign. 

However, set-by-set inconsistency undermined UCLA’s ability to escape with an easy win, as the first and third sets saw the Bruins swinging at .400-plus clips, while the second – the only set the Trojans won – and the fourth witnessed sub-.200 hitting percentages. 

While USC leaned on outside hitter Dillon Klein – who recorded 13 kills on a .214 clip – UCLA’s defense held down USC’s offensive front. Only two Trojans – Tomkinson and outside hitter Sterling Foley – managed to hit above .400 during the contest. Klein’s seven errors – many of which came on miscued swings and awkward angles – helped limit USC’s attack.

“The guys are incredible,” Hawks said. “You can’t get a win without great players. I’m just super happy for all of them to see them succeed like this. They work super hard, and they’re just an amazing group of guys.”

In the second set, USC substituted setter Caleb Blanchette – who would not return for the remainder of the game – for Andrew Chapin after Blanchette struggled with 10 assists and a -.500 hitting percentage. Meanwhile, Chapin provided 26 assists and helped USC steal the second set. USC coach Jeff Nygaard has leaned on the freshman significantly in the postseason, with Chapin also playing four sets in the semifinals, garnering 32 assists.

Meanwhile, UCLA kept Rowan in-system throughout the match, with the team good for 28 digs, many of which came close to the net to keep short balls and tips in play. 

The Trabuco Canyon, California, local recorded 42 assists while primarily distributing to Rama and sophomore outside hitter Sean Kelly, who was UCLA’s only other double-digit hitter. Kelly – one of only three non-graduating players in the Bruins’ starting lineup – logged 12 kills on a .296 clip

“When you’re in a final playing for a tournament championship, I don’t think there has to be much motivation from us,” Hawks said. “The guys are mature. They’ve been there before, and I believe that we’ve been pretty steady and consistent most of the year with how we approach every match.”

Though service errors occasionally slowed the Bruins’ momentum – including nine of their 22 total errors in the first set alone to give the Trojans several unforced points – the team compensated for the mistakes with efficient offensive execution. 

The Bruins now turn their attention to the national stage as they head into the NCAA tournament with the momentum of a conference title. As the top seed, UCLA carries the weight of high expectations, looking to translate its regular-season dominance into a deep postseason run. 

“Everybody’s going to play their best against us,” Rama said. “We just have to manage and focus on our side of the net. We know what we’re capable of.”