Tuesday, March 4, 1997
M.VOLLEYBALL:
Paul Nihipali strives to break UCLA’s all-time kills record at
this week’s gameBy Jennifer Kollenborn
Daily Bruin Contributor
As a candidate for Player of the Year, senior Paul Nihipali may
just prove this week that he deserves all of the recognition.
Nihipali of the UCLA men’s volleyball team enters this week’s
games only 84 kills shy of tying the UCLA all-time kills
record.
Former two-time Player of the Year Jeff Nygaard, who starred at
UCLA from 1992-1995, holds the most kills record at 1,800.
The three-time All-American has 1,716 career kills and is
averaging a career high of 6.7 kills per game. Against Hawaii
Nihipali led the Bruins in with 23 kills, the eighth time this
season he has registered 20 kills in a single match.
"(Paul Nihipali) will definitely break it this week," UCLA
assistant coach Brian Rofer said. "If Paul doesn’t get 84 kills
this week, then we probably aren’t winning."
UCLA (9-3 overall, 8-2 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) hosts
Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association front-runner Lewis
University (14-3, 10-1 MIVA) tonight at 7:30 p.m. in Pauley
Pavilion.
The Bruins hope to break Lewis’ six-game winning streak tonight
and extend their own winning streak with their fourth home-court
win.
The Bruins lead the series against the Flyers 3-0.
The two-time defending NCAA champions crushed the Flyers’ hopes
of winning the NCAAs last season, sweeping them in three quick
games during the semifinals of the championships.
If the Bruins win this season, they will shut down Lewis’ chance
of getting an at-large bid into the NCAA.
"(Lewis University) is a good team, and there is a lot on the
line in this game," Rofer said. "There is the at-large bid (for the
NCAAs), and if (the Flyers) beat teams in the West, it makes a
statement to the rest of the country."
Lewis swept Cal State Northridge last week 3-0 and had Monday
off, so traveling won’t be a factor.
"They can play, and they’ve proven they can play," Rofer said.
"No one is overlooking them. They have four returning seniors,
including Bart Bachorski, who is number one in the country for
service aces."
After Monday’s game against Lewis University, the fourth-ranked
Bruins will host No. 3 Stanford (9-2, 7-2) on Friday in a game that
will be aired live on KIEV Radio (870 AM).
On Saturday UCLA will be playing against the University of
Pacific (9-4, 4-4).
Senior Paul Nihipali is 84 kills shy of breaking Jeff Nygaard’s
(and UCLA’s) all-time kill record.