UCLA has historically been the premier men’s volleyball program in the country, winning a record 18 NCAA titles. For the last six years, however, a new program has emerged, winning three championships and seeking to replace the Bruins atop the sport. That program, No. 3 BYU, is set to face off against No. 1 UCLA […]
Author Archives: Sagar Parikh
M. volleyball: UCLA to face big crowd at BYU
It was the MPSF semifinals, and the UCLA men’s volleyball team was playing in the last place it wanted to be. On that dreadful night in Provo, Utah, the Bruins were swept by Long Beach State and booed off the court by the hometown Cougar fans, who were still bitter at UCLA coach Al Scates’ […]
M. volleyball: Setting a new tone
In the midst of a game-changing 10-3 run on Friday against crosstown rival USC, redshirt freshman Gaby Acevedo circled the court, urging the fans to get louder. And louder they became, especially after Acevedo, UCLA’s starting setter, was given a warning by the referee for inciting the crowd. “It was a huge match, especially against […]
M. volleyball: Junior reserve jump-starts Bruin win
Amid a momentum-changing 6-0 run by No. 3 Pepperdine during the second game of Wednesday night’s match, UCLA men’s volleyball coach Al Scates peered down his bench, looking for someone to stem the tide. And he found his answer in the most unlikely of places: junior reserve Damien Scott. Having played in only two games […]
M. volleyball: No. 1 Bruins turn table on Waves
On February 1, 2004, the then-No. 3 Bruins entered their biggest match up of the season, hosting then-No. 1 Pepperdine. The match was significant as the Bruins defeated the top-ranked Waves, propelling UCLA to the top of the national rankings. The Bruins finished that season ranked No. 3, and the Waves never regained their No. […]
M. volleyball: Men’s volleyball wants to come out strong against UCI
A true sign of a good team is its ability to put away inferior opponents. If Wednesday’s five-game match against NAIA opponent Cal Baptist was any indication, the No. 2 UCLA men’s volleyball team has a lot of work to do. Cal Baptist combined for a .405 hitting percentage in the last four games and […]
M. volleyball: Digging a new role
When a player has a bad practice on the UCLA men’s volleyball team, he is relegated to the second court at Pauley Pavilion behind the blue curtain. For heralded freshman Tony Ker, being placed on the second court was his official introduction to the UCLA volleyball program. “I had never played on a second team […]