Author Archives: Ben Azar

The UCLA women’s volleyball team has had many standout performers en route to its 20-1 record this season. But perhaps one of the surprise contributors to the team has been sophomore defensive specialist Jade Machado. Machado, whose listed 5-foot-6-inch frame is the smallest on the team, has seen a lot of action in the back […]

From the end of the first quarter of the UCLA-Oregon football game up until the minute I started this column, I’ve been hearing nonstop complaints from every UCLA fan I’ve seen or talked to. I’m normally a pretty tolerant person, but I’ve heard about all the whining and moaning I can take. The play-calling is […]

W. VBALL Friday, 7 p.m. vs. Stanford Pauley Pavilion All week long, the UCLA women’s volleyball team was focused on blocking Cal’s strong hitters. The effort paid off on Thursday. The No. 3 Bruins (20-0, 7-0 Pac-10) swept the No. 7 Bears (14-3, 3-3) 3-0 (30-26, 30-17, 32-30), extending their winning streak to 20 matches […]

Standing in the middle of crowds of reporters in Pauley Pavilion on Wednesday, Arron Afflalo and Josh Shipp were all smiles. As a new season begins with the team’s first practice on Friday, the soft-spoken pair is healthy and ready to go. With Jordan Farmar gone and no seniors on the team, Afflalo, a junior, […]

W. VOLLEYBALL Thursday, 7 p.m. v. Cal Pauley Pavilion Everything about the way the UCLA women’s volleyball team has started off the 2006 season indicates that the Bruins have turned the corner to becoming a truly elite team. The team has an opportunity to display its prominence against California and Stanford ““ teams it has […]

W. Volleyball Today, 7 p.m. v. Arizona Tuscon, Ariz. What a difference a year makes. Last season, a young UCLA volleyball team struggled away from home going 12-8, while losing to some very beatable teams. This season, the No. 3 Bruins (17-0, 4-0 Pac-10) are 15-0 away from home. That’s a trend they hope to […]

It’s interesting how much has changed in one year. Last season, heading into Arizona, the UCLA football team was 8-0, ranked No. 5 in the BCS, and was being mentioned among the contenders for a national championship title. This year is obviously a lot different. The Bruins have already had a setback against Washington, are […]