UCLA
UC Santa Barbara (MPSF Play-In Match)
Bruins Extend Streak to Nine Matches with Four-Game Victory
April 19, 2006 | Men's Volleyball
April 19, 2006
Seventh-ranked UCLA beat No.9 UC Santa Barbara 3-1 Wednesday in the first round of the MPSF playoffs in Pauley Pavilion.
The Bruins won 28-30, 31-29, 30-23, 30-15 in one hour and 49 minutes before 525 fans. The victory raised UCLA's record to 21-12 and extended its season-best winning streak to nine matches. UC Santa Barbara ended its season with a record of 13-16.
The Bruins now advance to the MPSF quarterfinals at No.2 Hawaii (23-4) on Sat., Apr. 22 at 7 p.m. HT. The Warriors have won 19 straight matches, including a pair of league contests against the Bruins, Mar. 10 and 11 in Honolulu. On Jan. 20, UCLA defeated Hawaii, 3-2 in the final match of UH's Outrigger Hotels Invitational.
Against UCSB, the Bruins overcame some early sluggish play to overpower the Gauchos by the end of the match. The Gauchos surprised the Bruins in Game 1 with solid blocking (4.0) and hitting (.324) to take a 1-0 lead. In particular, junior Aaron Richman spiked seven kills (.500) and served an ace on the first play of the game.
In Game 2, the Bruins hit just .167 as the Gauchos racked up 10.0 blocks. But UCLA slammed 19 kills, four more than UCSB, and seemed to catch fire when senior David Russell made a one-handed solo block on UCSB setter Max Klineman. The Bruins held a five-point lead at 25-20, but UCSB climbed back, tying the game at 29-29 when UCLA's Paul George committed a hitting error. Russell's kill gave the Bruins a one-point edge and a hitting error by UCSB's Bryan Berman tied the match.
Flustered, the Gauchos never really threatened in Game 3. The Bruins moved out to a 6-1 lead on a pair of aces and a kill by Russell. UCSB never got closer than three points with the Bruins outscoring them 4-0 down the stretch to take a 2-1 lead. In this game, the Bruins hit .424 as UCSB recorded zero blocks and hit just .229.
In Game 4, the Gauchos melted as the Bruins ignited. UCLA hit .583 on 16 kills, nine by junior Steve Klosterman. They also recorded five blocks and two aces, both by Russell who recorded a career-high of five for the match. The Gauchos hit .065 with just nine kills.
Klosterman led the Bruins with 22 kills and 23.5 points. Senior Damien Scott (10 kills, 13 digs) and junior Paul George (14 kills, 12 digs) each recorded double-doubles. Russell hit .550 with a line of 11-0-20 and senior setter Dennis Gonzalez, who entered the match in Game 2, added four kills (1.000) and scored five points. Libero Tony Ker added 15 digs and passed 27 chances without an error.
Richman led the Gauchos with 17 kills, two aces and four total blocks. Sophomore Theo Brunner added 10 kills and a match high of six total blocks.
