Wednesday, 5/7/97 Bruins set to dominate next year with
recruits, returning starters Team looks ahead to upcoming season to
return to Final Four and avenge title loss
By Vytas Mazeika Daily Bruin Contributor After a Cardinal
earthquake demolished UCLA’s hope for a third straight NCAA men’s
volleyball championship, the focus is now on next season. The UCLA
men’s volleyball program, still feeling the aftershocks of its
demoralizing loss to Stanford in the NCAA title game, will return
five starters to a team that fell just two points shy of claiming
the national title. With a deep bench that could still see several
players emerge and challenge for starting spots next season and one
freshman recruit so far joining the team, chances are the Bruins
will be back in the Final Four next year. The UCLA nucleus should
remain intact for at least one more season. With true freshmen
Brandon Taliaferro and Adam Naeve, sophomore Fred Robins, and
juniors Tom Stillwell and Ben Moselle returning, a more experienced
team will try to avenge this season’s shortcomings. The Bruins only
graduated opposite Paul Nihipali – the team’s biggest offensive
threat – and swing hitter Trong Nguyen. "We’ll have five starters
back," Bruin head coach Al Scates said. "We will be better next
year even though we lost our best hitter." Taliaferro, a first-year
setter, learned valuable lessons throughout the season and during
the Final Four that will make him a less predictable setter in the
near future. Naeve should become more consistent with off-season
training. Stillwell should also be able to bounce back from a
disappointing Final Four to lead the NCAA in blocks per game for a
third straight season. Since Scates believes in beginning every
season with a clean slate, the swing hitter spot that Ben Moselle
claimed during the season will once again be open for contention,
with Andor Gyulai, Matt Davis and Donald Puathasnanon providing the
biggest challenge. Finally, the battle for Nihipali’s vacated spot
in the lineup should produce some heated competition between
players like Evan Thatcher and new recruit Mark Williams. "I think
things are bright for the future," Scates said. "I think that Evan
Thatcher can play a good opposite. We have a good recruit coming
in, too. (Williams), a 6-foot-7-inch left-hander who can score from
the outside." Williams is a local player from University High
School in West Los Angeles and could provide some immediate help to
the Bruins. This season both Naeve and Taliaferro started straight
out of high school, and, if Williams proves he is capable of
contributing without redshirting, Scates will have no second
thoughts about adding him to the lineup. When the aftershocks from
Saturday’s loss wear off and the Bruins get back to business, it is
likely that they will be successful once again. GENEVIEVE
LIANG/Daily Bruin Freshman Adam Naeve hopes bring the volleyball
title back to UCLA next year. Previous Daily Bruin stories Order
restored: Bruins sweep Penn State Bruins think they know what’s
best for volleyball: Bring title back to California after one year
exile , May 8, 1996 UCLA’s lost match, May 5, 1997