Tuesday, 4/22/97 Men’s volleyball notes UCLA wins match vs.
Pacific with stellar passing, serving and hitting
Bruins to host league tourney With the season drawing to a
close, the UCLA men’s volleyball team will play no more than four
more times this year – and only that much if they’re successful in
the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament this week at
UCLA. The first match will be held at Pauley Pavilion on Thursday
at 7:00 p.m. against UC Santa Barbara. The winner of that match
will meet the winner of the other Thursday match between BYU and
Stanford, scheduled for 4:30 p.m. at Pauley Pavilion. The winner of
the tournament will advance to the Final Four in Columbus, Ohio.
The at-large spot for the Final Four is likely to go to either the
runner-up of the MPSF tournament or Princeton. Scates named
league’s best Al Scates, the Bruin head coach, was awarded the MPSF
Coach of the Year honor while true-freshman Brandon Taliaferro
became the MPSF Freshman of the Year. Scates has guided the
top-ranked UCLA team to a 22-3 record (17-2 MPSF), including a
17-match winning streak. Taliaferro beat out competitors such as
fellow Bruin Adam Naeve due to his consistent effort throughout the
season. Ryan Millar, BYU’s top player and last year’s Freshman of
the Year, won the MPSF Player of the Year award. Four years and
2,000 kills later … Although UCLA’s senior opposite hitter Paul
Nihipali did not get selected as MPSF Player of the Year, he became
only the ninth player in NCAA history to reach 2,000 career kills.
Nihipali will be graduating at the end of the year and in his
storied career he already owns the UCLA career kills (2,003) and
attempts (3,871) records. … Nihipali still most effective Paul
Nihipali has been UCLA’s main offensive weapon this season,
averaging 6.258 kills per game. The two middle blockers are closest
behind him – Adam Naeve at 3.667 kpg and Tom Stillwell at 3.639
kpg. Of the six starters, Stillwell is the Bruins’ highest
percentage hitter at .410. Nihipali, who has been consistently
double teamed this year, is hitting .337. * * * Brandon Taliaferro
has averaged 16.333 assists a game. His ability to spread the ball
around has been a key ingredient in UCLA’s balanced offense.
Compiled by Vytas Mazeika, Daily Bruin Contributor.