By virtue of the UCLA men’s volleyball team’s
impressive season, the Bruins earned the right to host the first
round of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Tournament. But who
they play to open up the postseason won’t be determined until
Cal State Northridge and Stanford square off on Wednesday in the
play-in game. Most of the Bruins, however, are indifferent about
who they would rather play, the Matadors or the Cardinal. “It
doesn’t matter to us,” senior Jonathan Acosta said.
“Both teams are tough, and we can’t afford to overlook
either team.” Opposite hitter Steve Klosterman, for one,
thinks Cal State Northridge is a better match-up. “Both teams
are tough, but I think Northridge is a better match for us.
Stanford is a great defensive team and can really frustrate an
offense with its passing.” UCLA (25-4, 18-4 MPSF) defeated
both teams twice during the season but was extended to four games
in both matches against the Cardinal. In a road match at Palo Alto
on April 2, for instance, Stanford recorded an astounding 75 kills
against the UCLA while forcing the Bruins to win two of the three
games by scores of 36-34 and 35-33. “Stanford did a great job
of passing against us,” UCLA coach Al Scates said.
“They have the ability to disrupt our hitting attack, but we
must overcome that.” Meanwhile, the Bruins swept their other
possible opponent, CSU Northridge, in both matches this season. But
that doesn’t mean the Bruins will be overlooking them.
“We also swept Long Beach State twice this season,”
Acosta said. “But last Thursday’s loss to the 49ers
should show that our past performances against teams does not mean
anything.”
MIDDLE BLOCKER SECURED:If anything positive came out of last
weekend’s trip to Long Beach State, it was that the Bruins
found out who their starting middle blocker was going to be for the
postseason. Allan Vince, who spent the majority of the season at
starting middle blocker, will practice with the first team after
briefly losing the spot to redshirt junior David Russell.
“Allan has really been playing well recently,” Scates
said. “He has gotten his swing back, and he will practice
with the first team for now.” With Vince starting, it looks
as though the Bruins will be fielding the lineup that brought them
success early in the season. “I was trying to play a
combination of lineups to see what would work,” Scates said.
“But I am confident with the 12-man roster we have
now.”
KLOSTERMAN HEALTHY: Opposite hitter Steve Klosterman, who missed
last weekend’s matches due to intestinal stomach problems,
returned to practice last Monday fully recovered. “I am
feeling 100 percent now and ready to contribute,” Klosterman
said. One of four hitters vying for the opposite position along
with Acosta, Brennan Prahler and Gray Garrett, Klosterman will have
to prove his mettle in practice this week. “It will be a very
long, competitive week,” Klosterman said.