Tuesday, April 7, 1998
Loyola Marymount prepared to take on Lions’ share
VOLLEYBALL: UCLA to face team ready to break a six-game losing
streak
By Grace Wen
Daily Bruin Staff
When the UCLA men’s volleyball team takes on Loyola Marymount
tonight, the Bruins won’t be playing host to the same LMU squad it
faced earlier this season.
The first time these two teams met, the Bruins (21-3, 14-2
Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) easily swept the Lions in three
games. It was LMU’s first match of the season and it might have
have set the tone for LMU (7-10, 7-9), who lost to Pepperdine the
following week.
However, the Lions bounced back from the losses, and went on to
compile a 7-4 record including wins over Stanford, USC and Cal
State Northridge.
The Lions lead the conference in three statistical categories.
LMU averages 22.89 kills per game, 20.49 assists, and 12.17
digs.
Since their 7-4 record, LMU looks to snap a six-game losing
streak in which they were without the services of opposite Tim
Farmer, the fraternal twin of Danny Farmer, who was suffering from
mononucleosis.
"It’s definitely our best team we’ve ever had," LMU head coach
Rick McLaughlin said.
He continued: "We were 7-4 and one of our guys (Tim Farmer) got
mono, one of our key guys. It kind of hurt us for a little while
but we got a few wins without him. We’re still in the hunt for the
playoffs and he’s just coming back."
It may be the best team Loyola Marymount has ever had, but will
it be enough? UCLA owns a 54-0 winning streak against Loyola. It is
unlikely that the Bruins will allow a blemish on that record.
The Bruins lead the conference in serving, averaging 2.20 aces a
game. Sophomores Adam Naeve and Brandon Taliaferro lead the league
in serving, with .650 and .551 aces respectively.
"They played us tough the first time when they were at full
strength," UCLA head coach Al Scates said. "So if Tim is able to
play the entire match, I anticipate a tough match. If he’s not,
then it’s not the same team. He’s their go-to-guy. He puts a lot of
balls away for them. It depends a lot on how he’s recovering.
"But we should beat them, quite frankly and then we’re in good
position to determine who gets home court advantage for the
playoffs."
For LMU, the key to the match would be solid performances from
all its players but with Farmer recovering the team must make up
for lost ground.
"We need every single guy to be playing well," McLaughlin said.
"We can’t afford to have one guy off his game, as any team can’t
against the Bruins. If everybody is playing well and we’re back in
form to where we were then, I think it could be a pretty
competitive match.
"I think the Bruins have a real good team so you’ve just got to
be on top of your game to compete with them. I think we’re due to
compete. We should play well."DERRICK KUDO/Daily Bruin
Danny Farmer (left) speaks with his brother Tim Farmer, who
plays for LMU, after the Bruins defeated LMU earlier this
season.