UCLA
Ball State
Bruin MVB Sweeps Ball State in Three
March 08, 2016 | Men's Volleyball
The No. 4 men's volleyball team registered its seventh win in the last eight matches with a non-league sweep over No. 10 Ball State on Monday night in Pauley Pavilion. Scores of the match were 25-19, 25-19, 25-20. The Bruins hit .430 for the contest and held an opponent (.160) under .200 for the seventh time in eight matches. Oliver Martin led the way with nine kills, hitting .818, while adding a block solo and a pair of block assists.
In set one, UCLA grabbed an 8-7 edge after a Martin kill and went on to lead 11-8 after kills by JT Hatch and Martin. Ball State closed to one on several occasions, the last at 19-18. Jake Arnitz answered with a kill for a 20-18 advantage. A block by Mitch Stahl, an Arnitz kill and another Stahl blast gave UCLA the set at 25-19. The Bruins hit .519 for the set. Arnitz totaled five kills and Martin added four.
In the second set, the Bruins took an 8-5 lead after a kill by Hatch and moved it up to 10-6 after a block from Martin and Micah Ma'a. An Arnitz / Martin block and an Arnitz kill made it 15-11. Martin's block lifted UCLA to a 19-13 advantage. The margin grew to 22-13 following another kill by Arnitz. Hatch's kill took it to set point at 24-18 and the Bruins won the set on a hitting error.
In set three, UCLA used four aces to separate from the Cardinals. A Ma'a ace made it 9-7. Hatch's ace handed the Bruins an 11-8 edge. Jackson Bantle's ace made it 18-13. After three kills by Stahl, UCLA's lead was 21-15. Stahl's ace then made it 23-17 and an Arnitz swing ended the match at 25-20.
Arnitz posted a team-high 10 kills (.273). Hatch tallied nine kills (.353), an ace and six digs. Stahl recorded eight kills (.636), a block solo and an ace. Ma'a had six kills (.500), an ace and 22 set assists. Smith put down two kills and also added 22 set assists. Davis Gillett totaled six digs. The Bruins hit .430 for the match to .160 for the Cardinals. The blocking stat was equal at 4.0 total blocks each. UCLA had six aces to one for BSU.
UCLA's next match on Friday is a non-league battle against Concordia (Irvine) at 7 p.m. in Pauley Pavilion.
