Battered UCLA spikers to face Penn State
Both teams sustain losses of key players upon entering Outrigger
Invitational
By Ruben Gutierrez
Daily Bruin Staff
The UCLA men’s volleyball team will engage Penn State tonight at
the Outrigger Hotels Invitational in Hawaii, in a rematch of last
year’s NCAA finals. The tournament marks an early season reunion of
the 1995 final four, with Ball State and Hawaii also participating.
UCLA faces the Cardinals Friday night, and will play host Hawaii
Saturday evening.
Like UCLA (1-0), this season’s edition of the Nittany Lions is
beset with key losses. The player whom Penn State (1-0) will miss
most is first team All-American setter Carlos Ortiz. Another key
departure for the Nittany Lions is second team All-American
opposite hitter Ed Josefoski.
"They lost Josefoski, so I think a lot will depend on what kind
of opposite they come up with," UCLA head coach Al Scates said.
"Also, they have to replace their setter. They had a great setter.
That Puerto Rican setter off the national team was really
good."
Redshirt sophomore Daniel Pollock replaces Ortiz and the new
opposite will be freshman Kevin Hardy. Returning outside hitter
Ivan Contreras leads the team in kills with 27. Undoubtedly,
though, the middle will be Penn State’s strength. Blockers Kevin
Hourican and Jason Kepner return to the lineup. In their only match
thus far this season, a 15-7, 15-9, 15-7 sweep of Ohio State,
Hourican recorded only one solo block, but posted nine block
assists for 10 total blocks. Hourican also added 20 kills in 27
attempts for an impressive .704 attack percentage.
"I know they have a great middle blocker and that Mexican
national team player is really good, so we’ll be focused on him,"
Scates said. "They also have a guy who played a little on the
national team, a 6-foot-9- inch middle blocker. They’ll be strong
in the middle, we know that."
Scates describes the condition of his own squad as "beat up,"
with several starters and key reserves nursing ailments ranging
from minor to serious. The condition of All-American setter Stein
Metzger will be integral to UCLA’s success, or lack thereof, in the
tournament. Metzger is troubled by a pulled hip flexor which barely
allows him to run, making trips by the two backup setters, redshirt
freshmen Court Young and Eric Vallely a necessity. The progress of
junior Paul Nihipali’s shoulder injury will also be a determining
factor in UCLA’s success. Scates does not expect Nihipali to play
in all three matches, preferring to limit his duty.
"A lot depends on the condition of our players," Scates said.
"If everybody was healthy, I’d say ‘Yeah, we do have a good chance
of coming out 4-0.’ But, we’re pretty beat up, so under the
condition we’re in now, I would say it would be a longshot to say
we’ll be undefeated after this trip."
NIMA BADLEY
Spiker Matt Noonan and UCLA take on Penn State this weekend.
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