Author Archives: Eli Smukler

The Bruins had been stretching, bending and diving around the court all night to extend rallies far beyond a believable lifespan.

Halfway through the conference season, the UCLA women’s volleyball team is glad for second chances. Although the Bruins are the No. 9 team in the country, they are just tied for fifth in the Pac-10 standings heading into the next round of matches against each of their conference foes. Tonight in Pauley Pavilion, UCLA (14-6, […]

Hail Mary passes, buzzer-beating half-court shots, walk-off home runs. The world of sports can give us the most entertaining storylines of all, which is why scripts about athletes have traditionally been a go-to for Hollywood writers for years.

The UCLA women’s volleyball team claims it has reached a new height. Fortunately, the opportunity to truly test that hypothesis has arrived right at its doorstep. This weekend, the No. 10 Bruins (14-4, 4-3 Pac-10) will host the top two teams on the West Coast to see if their newfound confidence will hold water against […]

What’s the most you’ve ever been hated?

The UCLA women’s volleyball team had its first game of the season back in August, and since then, it’s played 14 matches on the road stretching from Oahu to Chicago.

In the world of competitive youth sports, there are countless examples of children being pushed too far.