Thursday, April 13
Malibu, CA
6:00 PM
UCLA
26-2, 11-0
3
at
1
Pepperdine
16-12, 5-6
1
2
3
4
F
UCLA
30
25
25
25
3
Pepperdine
32
21
23
23
1
Andrew Rowan (7) sets with Merrick McHenry (13), Ethan Champlin (20) and Cole Ketrzynski (r) ready to attack.
Photo by: UCLA Athletics
MVB Rallies Past Pepperdine
April 13, 2023 | Men's Volleyball
The No. 2 UCLA men's volleyball team (26-2) improved to 11-0 in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) play with a four-set win at No. 9 Pepperdine (16-12, 5-6) on Thursday night. Scores of the match were 30-32, 25-21, 25-23, 25-23. The Bruins used a season-high 15.5 team blocks to control the net. It was the 12th match this season in which the Bruins have registered double-digit blocks. Merrick McHenry led UCLA with seven blocks (2 solos) while Alex Knight added a career-high tying 6 blocks.
Ethan Champlin put away a career-high 19 kills while hitting .484 on the night to pace the offensive attack. The Bruins hit .349 as a team to .261 for the Waves. Andrew Rowan had 47 set assists, five blocks and recorded an ace for the 16th time in the last 17 matches. Troy Gooch added a team-high seven digs. The same two teams will meet again on Saturday night in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom at 7 p.m. UCLA will be looking to record its first unbeaten conference regular-season mark since it went 19-0 in 1995. The Bruins will recognize two of its NCAA Champion men's volleyball teams --- 1983 and 1993 --- during the match.
In set one, UCLA opened up a 9-6 lead after a block by McHenry / Champlin. Pepperdine closed to 11-10 only to see the Bruins tally four straight for a 15-11 advantage. UCLA led 17-14 after a Wave service error, but Pepp rallied for the next three points to even the score at 17-all. The score was tied at points 18 through 22 before UCLA went up by one on another service error. A Wave error gave UCLA the first of what would be four set points attempts, at 24-22. Pepperdine came back with three straight to go up 24-25 for the first of their five set point opportunities. A Wave service miscue knotted the score at 25-all. Andrew Rowan's ace gave UCLA a look a set point, at 26-25. David's smash put UCLA up 27-26, but Pepperdine held tough and used a kill and an ace to go back in front 27-28. Knight's kill saved that set point, but a Bruin service error put the Waves in front 28-29. Another Knight kill kept the Bruins alive and tied the score at 29's. A UCLA attack error made it 29-30, but David's swing once again tied the score. However, back-to-back Pepperdine kills ended the set at 30-32. It marked just the second set that UCLA has lost this season in MPSF play.
Pepperdine jumped out to a 6-8 edge in set two. The score was then tied at points eight through 12. The Waves went back up 13-15 and then 17-19. A Wave service error and a Bruin block by McHenry / Knight tied the score at 19-all. A Rowan block squared the score at 20-all. A couple of Wave errors lifted UCLA into a 23-21 advantage. Champlin followed with a kill for set point, at 24-21. A Genis / Rowan block finished off the set at 25-21.
The Waves enjoyed a 6-8 lead in the early stages of set three. A Champlin kill leveled the score at 9-all. Pepperdine then went back up 10-13 and expanded the margin to 14-18. A Cole Ketrzynski kill ended that run and put J.R. Norris IV at the service line for the Bruins. The redshirt senior served up four straight points to push UCLA back in front 19-18. David's ace made it 21-19. After Pepperdine closed to 23-22, another David swing put UCLA at set point. Champlin's spike ended the set at 25-23.
UCLA went up 7-6 following a David kill in set four. With the score tied at 11-all, Champlin's swing sparked a Bruin run to a 15-12 edge. Rowan and McHenry teamed up for a block and an 18-14 lead. McHenry's block solo made it 20-15. Pepperdine rallied to close to 22-20, but a service error stopped their momentum. Champlin followed with a kill for set point, at 24-22. A UCLA service error made it 24-23. Norris IV and Ketrzynski then combined for a block to end the match and secure a 25-23 win.
Ethan Champlin put away a career-high 19 kills while hitting .484 on the night to pace the offensive attack. The Bruins hit .349 as a team to .261 for the Waves. Andrew Rowan had 47 set assists, five blocks and recorded an ace for the 16th time in the last 17 matches. Troy Gooch added a team-high seven digs. The same two teams will meet again on Saturday night in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom at 7 p.m. UCLA will be looking to record its first unbeaten conference regular-season mark since it went 19-0 in 1995. The Bruins will recognize two of its NCAA Champion men's volleyball teams --- 1983 and 1993 --- during the match.
In set one, UCLA opened up a 9-6 lead after a block by McHenry / Champlin. Pepperdine closed to 11-10 only to see the Bruins tally four straight for a 15-11 advantage. UCLA led 17-14 after a Wave service error, but Pepp rallied for the next three points to even the score at 17-all. The score was tied at points 18 through 22 before UCLA went up by one on another service error. A Wave error gave UCLA the first of what would be four set points attempts, at 24-22. Pepperdine came back with three straight to go up 24-25 for the first of their five set point opportunities. A Wave service miscue knotted the score at 25-all. Andrew Rowan's ace gave UCLA a look a set point, at 26-25. David's smash put UCLA up 27-26, but Pepperdine held tough and used a kill and an ace to go back in front 27-28. Knight's kill saved that set point, but a Bruin service error put the Waves in front 28-29. Another Knight kill kept the Bruins alive and tied the score at 29's. A UCLA attack error made it 29-30, but David's swing once again tied the score. However, back-to-back Pepperdine kills ended the set at 30-32. It marked just the second set that UCLA has lost this season in MPSF play.
Pepperdine jumped out to a 6-8 edge in set two. The score was then tied at points eight through 12. The Waves went back up 13-15 and then 17-19. A Wave service error and a Bruin block by McHenry / Knight tied the score at 19-all. A Rowan block squared the score at 20-all. A couple of Wave errors lifted UCLA into a 23-21 advantage. Champlin followed with a kill for set point, at 24-21. A Genis / Rowan block finished off the set at 25-21.
The Waves enjoyed a 6-8 lead in the early stages of set three. A Champlin kill leveled the score at 9-all. Pepperdine then went back up 10-13 and expanded the margin to 14-18. A Cole Ketrzynski kill ended that run and put J.R. Norris IV at the service line for the Bruins. The redshirt senior served up four straight points to push UCLA back in front 19-18. David's ace made it 21-19. After Pepperdine closed to 23-22, another David swing put UCLA at set point. Champlin's spike ended the set at 25-23.
UCLA went up 7-6 following a David kill in set four. With the score tied at 11-all, Champlin's swing sparked a Bruin run to a 15-12 edge. Rowan and McHenry teamed up for a block and an 18-14 lead. McHenry's block solo made it 20-15. Pepperdine rallied to close to 22-20, but a service error stopped their momentum. Champlin followed with a kill for set point, at 24-22. A UCLA service error made it 24-23. Norris IV and Ketrzynski then combined for a block to end the match and secure a 25-23 win.
Team Stats
UCLA
PEP
Kills
54
53
Errors
17
23
Attempts
106
115
Hitting %
.349
.261
Points
74.5
63.5
Assists
53
51
Aces
5
3
Blocks
15.5
7.5
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
19
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
6
Kills
9
Aces
1
Blocks
7
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Men's Volleyball
L
/ Men's Volleyball
OH/Opp
/ Men's VolleyballOH
/ Men's VolleyballMB
/ Men's Volleyball
MB
/ Men's Volleyball
S
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