Category Archives: Men’s Volleyball

Dominant isn’t quite the word to describe the current No. 1 UCLA men’s volleyball team. Instead, for the top-ranked Bruins, versatile should be the word of choice.

After defeating the team that gave it the most trouble this season, Long Beach State, UCLA now sets its sights on the team that gave it the least.

Long Beach State’s men’s volleyball team was dripping with confidence entering Wednesday’s match against UCLA. Two weeks earlier, it handed UCLA its first loss in conference play and ended its 10-match winning streak. Twenty minutes into Wednesday’s game, however, the 49ers’ poise was gone, their cheers from the sideline replaced with stony silence.

The UCLA men’s volleyball team was worn down as it neared the end of its practice Monday morning, save for sophomore outside hitter Gonzalo Quiroga. While the team rested during a water break, Quiroga stayed on the court, putting up some practice serves. During the subsequent scrimmage, it was Quiroga’s voice that pierced through the unfamiliar quietness of his teammates.

The UCLA men’s volleyball team has an odd obsession with mustaches. Some players grow theirs thick, while others try to grow theirs long. A few dare for both, but one mustache stands out apart from the rest.