Monday, 2/24/97
Nihipali’s hitting punishes LBSU
Bruins’ passing, blocking help garner win in 3 games
By Vytas Mazeika
Daily Bruin Contributor
Lately the UCLA men’s volleyball team has been doing its best
rendition of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
A week and a half ago, Pepperdine swept the Bruins. Friday night
against Long Beach State University (LBSU), the Bruins turned the
table and won in three games, 15-7, 15-10, and 15-12.
UCLA (7-3, 6-2 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) won in
convincing fashion thanks to Paul Nihipali’s blistering
hitting.
Nihipali had 27 kills in just 44 attempts and hit for a
percentage of .523.
"The man for us tonight was Paul Nihipali," UCLA Head Coach Al
Scates said. "Whenever we needed a sideout or a point we could go
to him.
"But we did not go to him exclusively."
True freshman setter Brandon Taliaferro passed the ball around
and kept LBSU players, such as block leader Gaby Amar (2.01 blocks
per game), from zoning in on Nihipali.
It was a different story for the 49ers (8-4, 4-3), as Geoff
Cryst (41 kills, .247 hitting percentage) received a mind-boggling
81 out of 154 sets.
With this uneven distribution the UCLA blockers were able to key
in on one player. The Bruins out-blocked the 49ers 27-8. Blocking
was so lopsided that UCLA’s Tom Stillwell (8 block assists, one
solo block) alone out-blocked LBSU.
"They passed pretty well tonight," LBSU Coach Ray Ratelle said.
"That causes some real problems when they can pass that ball around
that offense."
UCLA started on fire, as it took an 8-2 lead in the first game.
The Bruins allowed LBSU to get back into the game 11-6. But after
Amar’s spike went wide, UCLA clinched the first game 15-7.
The second game proved to be more of a struggle, with a long
sideout battle taking place at 8-8. Cryst eventually got a kill and
gave the 49ers their first lead of the night at 9-8. UCLA bounced
back from its first deficit, however, to win the next five points,
outlasting LBSU 15-10.
"First game-and-a-half I thought we were intimidated," Ratelle
said. "I really wonder how much they believe in themselves as a
group. We’ve got to get tougher."
In game three UCLA jumped out to an 8-1 lead, before allowing
the 49ers to regain some momentum. LBSU eventually took an 11-10
lead. Behind Nihipali’s kills UCLA was able to restore order and
prevail 15-12 to win the match.
GENEVIEVE LIANG/Daily Bruin
Paul Nihipali recorded a .523 hitting percentage, with 27 kills
and 4 errors in 44 attempts.