Seven matches into the season, UCLA men’s volleyball coach Al Scates does not have a set starting lineup as he prepares his team to face Cal Baptist tonight in Pauley Pavilion.
The No. 8 Bruins (3-4) face off against the Lancers (3-3), the No. 2 team in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.
In what has already been a rocky year for the Bruins, with the loss of their top three liberos and an injury to top quick hitter Weston Dunlap, Scates explained he is still looking for the right combination of players for a successful season.
“The race for the NCAAs is not a sprint,” Scates said. “I have to play everybody who could potentially contribute early in the season, so that I can have a set lineup when it comes time to get into the playoffs.”
Scates added that he has probable starters for tonight’s match, but his starting seven is constantly changing. Scates has started 17 different players this season.
Tonight’s starters will likely be freshman quick hitter Nick Vogel, redshirt senior quick hitter D.J. Stromath, freshman opposite Kyle Caldwell, senior opposite Sean O’Malley, junior outside hitter Garrett Muagututia, redshirt freshman setter Alex Scattereggia and freshman libero Jamey Ker.
Scates started Scattereggia against UC San Diego last Friday but had to pull him out due to leg cramps about midway through the match.
“He has very good technique, and we want to see some more (of Scattereggia),” Scates said.
Also, Vogel, who sat out Friday’s match because he sprained his thumb late in last Wednesday’s match against Long Beach State, has been cleared to play tonight.
Jamey Ker, who Scates said had planned on redshirting this season as an outside hitter, has impressed the coaches with rapid growth in his passing skills.
“We are at the point now that it is going to be battle (for the libero position) when Thomas (Hastings) comes back,” Scates said.
Hastings is sitting out this quarter due to academic ineligibility.
Not only is mixing up the lineup helping Scates find the right combination of players for a winning team, but junior setter Kevin Ker said it is helping the team grow because of the competition it stimulates.
“Guys are fighting to get spots on the court and playing time,” Kevin Ker said. “It’s a lot more competitive out here (at practice) than it has been the last couple of weeks.”
The Bruins are hoping this competition will bring out their best as they face the Lancers. Due to less stringent recruiting rules in the NAIA, the Lancers have a number of players with professional experience.
“They have players that have played for different international clubs,” Scates said. “We expect a very tough match ““ we always do from those guys.”