With veteran leadership at the helm of the ship, the Bruins are hoping to add more victories to their belt to sail into the postseason.
After winning the Center of Effort Challenge, No. 1 UCLA beach volleyball (30-2) is returning home Thursday for its final two regular-season matchups against No. 3 USC (25-2) and No. 5 LMU (23-6).
Last weekend’s victories were punctuated by the Bruins’ return to the top of the rankings after dethroning then-No. 1 and previously undefeated TCU as well as No. 2 USC, who also handed the Bruins their first loss of the season at the beginning of March.
“We all knew that we could do it,” said senior Lexy Denaburg. “Just had to hit our peak and keep working hard.”
Graduate student Jaden Whitmarsh, alongside senior Devin Newberry – who returned last weekend from injury – helped seize the Bruins’ triumphant victory this weekend by winning the final set against USC.
Whitmarsh said the team has been relying on each other in order to prepare to play USC again.
“This whole week, we’ve been able to use some of our pairs as scout teams,” Whitmarsh said. “So we’ve been having our teammates do the kind of serves they were doing during the match, and kind of just to replicate, how we want to play against them and how we can better prepare to stay on top.”
Coach Stein Metzger emphasized focusing on the respective pairs to prepare.
“We’re just examining game plans, trying to think about what adjustments we might make,” Metzger said. “Just fine-tuning some of the things on our own side. Each pair and each individual has a couple of things that they could work on.”
This is the third time the Bruins will face the Trojans this year, but the first time this season that they will take on fellow Los Angeles neighbor, the Lions.
UCLA currently holds a record of 16-4 against LMU, having defeated the Lions 4-1 during their most recent matchup in April of last year.
“It definitely is going to be a different match playing against a team that we haven’t played against before this year,” Whitmarsh said. “So it’s going to be a little bit of focusing on our side, I would say against LMU, just because we haven’t played against them yet.”
Thursday’s matches will also mark UCLA’s Senior Day, celebrating the accomplishments of the team’s senior and graduate student players.
The squad is a veteran-heavy team, including seven graduate students and three seniors, many of whom make up the pairs that have contributed to the team’s record this season.
“It’s always nice when you have a good chunk of your team having that kind of experience and knowledge about the game and just the steadying force for the program and for the team,” Metzger said. “We’re super grateful to have them with us right now.”
Following the commemoration of its seniors after the pair of contests, UCLA will face a quick turnaround, with the following week bringing the Pac-12 championship, marking the start of the playoffs.
“We know it’s all coming to an end pretty fast. So we’re trying to remember to be present and have gratitude and just enjoy it while it’s still here,” Whitmarsh said. “We’re all on board, and we know that we can win a national championship this year.”
The Bruins have their final set of home games Thursday at Mapes Beach, taking on the Trojans at noon and the Lions at 4 p.m.
Comments are closed.