Any coach will tell you that his or her team’s next game is its most important one.
While this is normally just a conservative statement, it couldn’t be more true for the UCLA men’s volleyball team.
A casual fan might see the match today against Pepperdine, which is winless in conference play, as a warm-up for Friday’s showdown against rival USC, the nation’s top team. But the Bruins can’t overlook the No. 8 Waves (2-3, 0-3 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation), who come to Pauley Pavilion hungry for a win.
Friday’s five-set loss to Long Beach State took the wind out of the sails of No. 4 UCLA (6-2, 1-1), but the team appears ready to move on. Each starter on the team has shown the ability to step up and bring about success at one point in the season. If the Bruins can replicate what they’ve done earlier this month, their chances are good.
“I think if we play the way we did in Hawaii, we can beat pretty much anyone,” redshirt junior setter Alex Scattareggia said. “Even in Long Beach, we had two games where we were awesome and three games where we weren’t, so the key is just staying consistent.”
UCLA will have to dominate on the serve if it wants the win. Not only is that what led the team to most of the season’s earlier victories, but against Pepperdine, serving is especially crucial.
“Their middle attack is very, very strong,” assistant coach Brian Rofer said. “The only thing they might be struggling with is their passing. So for us, serving well is going to be the main key.”
The Waves have a new libero, which is a weakness that the Bruins will not let pass by. Pepperdine’s sophomore opposite Maurice Torres, however, has averaged 19.4 kills per game and will undoubtedly make things hard for the Bruins.
Coming into tonight’s match, it’s anyone’s guess as to who will lead the Bruins. Freshman outside hitter Gonzalo Quiroga stepped up in the team’s most recent effort when he delivered 20 kills. Last week against Cal State Northridge, it was junior quick hitter Thomas Amberg with 10 kills and five block assists.
Pepperdine has played four five-set matches in a row, so it’s very likely that this one will be a tough ordeal. If UCLA does win, it will be the first time that it has done so against Pepperdine in six matches. The Bruins will have a winning record in a very competitive conference if they win, and they can put last Friday’s frustrating defeat behind them.
“I think that it will be a great opportunity for us because we lost the last match,” Quiroga said. “Winning this match against Pepperdine will give us confidence for the big one against USC.”