The UCLA men’s volleyball team had the week off, but resting was not an option.
After a week of hard training, the Bruins prepare to face two league rivals this weekend.
No. 6 UCLA will take on Pacific today at 7 p.m. in Pauley Pavilion before facing Stanford on Sunday at noon in the John Wooden Center.
UCLA is coming off of a disappointing loss against UC Santa Barbara. The Bruins enjoyed a brief two-game winning streak before losing to the Gauchos, and what was supposed to be an easy win turned into a gut check for them. UCLA thought that it could blow by its opponent, yet played with a lack of intensity, urgency and focus.
“We were at a good place after our last two wins and now we have to find our way back into that,” said junior outside hitter Robart Page.
Stanford, which won its last three games, will be a tough opponent for UCLA. In its last meeting, UCLA lost 3-1 in a game that was broadcast on national television.
“I expect our guys to reflect a little bit about why they are here,” said coach John Speraw. “If we’re here to win, I expect to see a whole different team against Stanford.”
Pacific, on the other hand, lost each of its last seven games and was swept by UCLA in the two teams’ previous meeting. However, UCLA knows that it cannot afford to underestimate its opponent, and it needs to play at a high level of performance in every match. Speraw said that he knows that his team is far from perfect, and that a lack of focus has been a recurring issue.
Freshman setter Steve O’Dell knows that his team is a work in progress, but remains positive about its season.
“We’re going to get a lot better. Everyone on our team is going to be ready and looking forward to competing,” O’Dell said.