After capturing an exciting victory over Cal Baptist this past Wednesday, the Bruins continued their crowd-pleasing play on Friday against UC Irvine.
Outside hitter Garrett Muagututia returned to the starting lineup after missing the previous game because of illness and helped the No. 4 Bruins (8-3, 5-2) pass the No. 9 UC Irvine Anteaters (6-6, 3-4).
But the victory didn’t come easy.
The Anteaters’ play in the first set was reminiscent of their 2007 season, when they won the NCAA Championship. That performance, combined with a lackluster start by the Bruins, led to the Anteaters winning the first game, 30-23.
“We hit a lot of unforced hitting errors in that first game, and Irvine is a good team, so they came out strong,” junior quick hitter Jamie Diefenbach said.
The Bruins cleaned up their hitting in the subsequent games, beating the Anteaters 30-25, 30-26, 31-29 to secure their second straight home win.
Muagututia finished the match with 14 kills, but it was his all-around play that had more of an impact on the Bruin victory.
“Garrett does all of the little things for our team,” Diefenbach said. “Besides hammering the ball and being a loud voice, he picks up the tips and is a great passer, and it was a huge lift for us to have him back.”
Diefenbach and junior quick hitter D.J. Stromath also played huge roles in the Bruin victory. Stromath finished with 10 kills and an efficient .400 clip, while Diefenbach contributed with 14 kills and a .600 clip.
“D.J. studies the game plan and really pays attention,” assistant coach Brian Rofer said. “He’s become really consistent, and that’s all we can ask from anyone.”
Consistency seems to be contagious among the quick hitters.
“(Diefenbach) is becoming more and more consistent,” Rofer said. “His hitting is great, and he’s starting to work more and more on his blocking. He’s starting to realize how good he can be.”
The Bruins have won three straight matches, including two in MPSF play. Since they are nearing the halfway point of their season, this appears to be the optimal time for them to start coming into their own.
“This team is starting to find their identity, and I have all the confidence in the world that they will,” Rofer said.
Friday night’s game marks the midway point of the Bruins four-game home stretch. After taking care of business against Cal Baptist and UC Irvine, the Bruins can now devote their attention to their crosstown rivals. The Bruins will play host to the No. 11 Trojans on Wednesday night.
“Now that we took care of this match, we can start thinking about USC,” Diefenbach said.
In the first matchup between the two teams, on Jan. 23 at the Galen Center, the Bruins fell to the Trojans, 3-2.