Just days after being on the verge of 10 straight wins, the Bruins are now in danger of starting a new streak in the opposite direction.
After taking a beating from No. 3 Pepperdine Wednesday, No. 1 UCLA (9-2, 6-1 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) will look to avoid losing consecutive games for the first time this season as they travel across town to face No. 5 USC (5-3, 4-3 MPSF) Sunday night.
While the Bruins swept their crosstown rivals twice last year, the expectation this time around is for a highly contested, could-go-either-way type of match. USC has improved significantly this season and has already racked up some eyebrow-raising wins – it defeated national champion UC Irvine at home and, even more impressively, swept No. 6 Long Beach State on the road. Add in the hostile environment that the Bruins are sure to meet at the Galen Center, and all signs point away from a simple victory.
The Bruins know what they are up against, and the thrashing they took from the Waves will likely add to their level of alertness come Sunday night. This team has already proven that it can roll through teams and mount a long win streak, but just as important for success is the ability to stop a losing streak before it starts. Sunday will be the first opportunity for the Bruins to show they are capable of rebounding after a loss.
The part of the Bruins’ game that needs to rebound the most is the offense; UCLA’s hitters sputtered against Pepperdine, ending the day with a feeble .110 hitting percentage overall. Coach John Speraw was forced to make some in-game substitutions to get the offense going; freshman outside hitter Jackson Bantle replaced freshman outside hitter Michael Fisher early on, while freshman Hagen Smith saw brief time as setter in place of redshirt junior Michael Beals. The Bruins’ starting lineup on Sunday could be further tweaked if Speraw deems it necessary.
Despite USC not having the same blockers and overall defensive talent that Pepperdine has, it will be interesting to see if the Trojans try to play a defensive game that worked so well against the Bruins.
Sunday will mark the last of a four-game road trip, after which the Bruins return home next week for matches against Long Beach State and Cal State Northridge.