M. volleyball set out to conquer Aztecs
By Ruben Gutierrez
Daily Bruin Staff
The UCLA men’s volleyball team begins a crucial four-match home
stand tonight with a 9 p.m. Mountain Pacific Sports Federation
match against San Diego State at the John Wooden Center.
The No. 4 Bruins (4-2 overall, 1-1 MPSF) are coming off of a
four-game loss to No. 2 conference foe, UC Santa Barbara. With the
last two games of the match decided by slim two-point margins,
15-13, the Bruins remain optimistic entering this weekend despite
the loss.
The Aztecs (2-4, 0-1 MPSF) have an emotional leader in the form
of blocker Jason Rasmussen. An all-around player, Rasmussen is
averaging three kills and one block per game while hitting at a
.327 clip on the season. Mike Koch, a freshman with great leaping
ability, also adds three kills per game. The ace for the Aztecs,
though, is outside hitter Lars Winter, who is currently averaging a
stunning six kills per game and over a block a game on a .394
attack percentage.
Saturday, UCLA will take on UC San Diego at 5 p.m. The Tritons
ride a five-match losing streak into their match tonight at UC
Irvine and have lost all of their MPSF matches so far this season.
UCSD (0-5, 0-4 MPSF) hits a paltry .214 as a team and averages less
than four blocks per game.
A Bruin lineup already depleted by the graduation of four
seniors last year has been further hindered by key injuries, most
notably to quick hitter James Turner and junior Paul Nihipali,
whose shoulder injury has forced him to move from quick back to
opposite. Led by sophomore Tom Stillwell, the Bruins have so far
relied largely on team blocking.
"I’m pretty happy with that aspect of our game," UCLA head coach
Al Scates said. "Potentially, though, we could be so much better.
Any team we put on the court blocks better than our opponents, so
that’s nothing new. I want to block significantly better than our
opponents."
Another ingredient vital to the success of UCLA thus far has
been the leadership and consistency of All-American setter Stein
Metzger. According to Scates, Metzger is in top physical condition
and the selection and placement of his sets should improve as the
season wears on.
"Stein has done a great job as an athlete and team leader,"
Scates said. "I think his setting will improve and he’s really a
force at the net as an attacker and a blocker. He’s in the best
shape of his life because he’s still ripping jump serves after
we’ve gone 120 rotations. Where he can improve right now is
probably the location of his sets. He needs to set higher and
faster to guys like Stillwell."
So concerned is Scates with honing the skills of his own squad
at this early point in the season that he has nearly forgotten to
dope out his opponents.
"I’m concerned with us and right now (assistant coach) Brian
(Rofer) is concerned with them," Scates said. "I just want to get
our game in shape and that’ll take care of our opponents."Comments
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