UCSB d. UCLA 3-2
By Daniel Miller
Daily Bruin Contributor
Well, he predicted it.
What can be said about the UCLA men’s volleyball
team’s season-ending 3-2 loss to UC Santa Barbara Saturday
night in the first round of the MPSF tournament other than noting
that UCSB senior outside hitter Andy Rivera guaranteed a victory
last week?
A lot, actually.
Each team gained and relinquished momentum throughout the match
as the Bruins won the first two close games 30-28 and 30-27 only to
drop the next three 28-30, 30-32, 8-15, leaving the UCLA fans at
Pauley Pavilion stunned. While it may have looked like the Bruins
would coast to an easy victory after the first two games, the
Bruins’ errors and lack of fluidity caught up with them.
“We were going on pure adrenaline in the first two
games,” UCLA head coach Al Scates said. “We made some
mistakes, some ball-handling errors. We dug a few balls that were
out, and we dug some spikes that were out.”
Freshman outside hitter Jonathan Acosta and junior middle
blocker Scott Morrow returned from injury to the team’s
starting lineup and played impressively. But a lack of practice for
both players kept the team from playing as a cohesive unit.
“UCSB was in better physical condition than us,”
Scates said. “Acosta and Morrow could only practice this past
week. Morrow came down awkwardly in the fourth game and may have
re-injured himself, while Acosta was playing with a
cramp.”
It did not seem like Acosta was hindered in any way, though, as
he hit .381 and led the Bruins with 22 kills. Morrow also hit .381
and had 11 kills and four blocks.
In the first two games, the sixth-seeded Gauchos (18-10)
continually bailed the third-seeded Bruins (25-7) out of tough
situations by making technical mistakes, including three-service
foot faults. Yet, Rivera seemed determined to not make himself a
liar. He controlled UCSB’s offense effectively, eventually
overpowering the Bruins with a match-leading 30 kills.
“We were not able to stop Rivera,” said junior
outside hitter Cameron Mount. “I’ve never watched so
much video of an opposing team, and we still were not able to
execute.”
Freshman outside hitter Paul Johnson had 13 kills and two blocks
while Mount hit .345 and had 16 kills. Senior outside hitter Matt
Komer added 14 kills.
Mount said UCLA “may have come out too fired up in game
5.” The Bruins made hitting errors that sparked a five-point
UCSB run that gave the Gauchos a 10-5 lead that they never
surrendered.
“We were in the first two games,” UCSB head coach
Ken Preston said. “Our guys did a nice job. Winning the third
game turned it around for us.”
UCLA has not lost in the first round of the MPSF playoffs since
1999.
Komer, the team’s only senior, played his last match as a
Bruin Saturday.
“I told him that I was sorry we could not win it for
him,” Scates said. “That’s all you can say to a
senior. He played great all season; he played hurt all year (with
tendonitis) and was amazing.”
The UCLA players were sullen after the loss, silent as they
walked to their locker room and quiet as they hugged family members
courtside before leaving the arena.
What else can be said about the loss?
“I can’t even think about it right now,”
Acosta said.
Sometimes, there is nothing more to say.