Wednesday, February 14
Los Angeles, CA
7:00 PM
UCLA
vs
Pepperdine
Photo by: Don Liebig/ASUCLA
MVB Begins MPSF Play Wednesday at Home
February 13, 2024 | Men's Volleyball
Bruins Begin MPSF Play on Wednesday in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom — Fourth-ranked UCLA (9-3, 0-0) begins Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) play with a pair of matches against No. 11 Pepperdine (9-2, 0-0) beginning on Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. On Saturday, the two teams will battle in Malibu at 2 p.m. where the Waves own a 7-0 record this season. The Bruins have won the last five meetings with Pepperdine, including both matches last season. The last Wave victory came in the 2021 MPSF semifinals.
This Week
• First Serve vs. Pepperdine (Wed. Feb. 14): 7 p.m. PT
Video: Pac-12 Los Angeles (Anne Marie Anderson)
https://pac-12.com/live?networks=P12LAX
Live Stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=498659
• First Serve at Pepperdine (Sat. Feb. 17): 2 p.m. PT
Video: ESPN+ https://www.espn.com/watch/
Live Stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=498345&vislive=ucla
The Bruins split a pair of matches against Long Beach last week with each team winning 3-1 on its home court in four sets. With last Saturday's win, UCLA has defeated the AVCA's No. 1-ranked team in each of the last four seasons -- 2024: Feb. 10 Long Beach (3-1) in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom; 2023: March 6 Hawai'i (3-1) in Fairfax, Va.; 2022: Feb. 19 vs. Long Beach (3-2) in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom; 2021: Feb. 4 at BYU (3-1). Highlights of last week included Merrick McHenry become the school's all-time leader in block solos and Ethan Champlin recording 17 digs in the win over Beach, the most by a Bruin player since 2016.
After 12 matches this season, UCLA owns a 126 to 88.5 edge over opponents in total blocks and 86 to 47 margin in service aces. It has out hit the first 12 opponents by a combined .355 to .237.
MPSF — The Bruins begin Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) action this week having won 19 straight regular-season league contests over the past two seasons since a loss at Stanford (Mar. 11, 2022). UCLA, which finished atop the 2023 MPSF standings with a 12-0 record, is picked to repeat by the coaches ... The '24 Pre-season MPSF coaches poll: 1-UCLA, 2-Stanford, T3-BYU, T3-GCU, 5-USC, 6-Pepperdine, 7-CUI ... this year's MPSF Post-Season Tournament will be held at USC on April 17-20 with the league's auto bid to the NCAA Tournament on the line.
UCLA and Rankings — UCLA was voted No. 4 in this week's AVCA and Off the Block polls. The Bruins have been ranked as high as No. 2 in the AVCA poll at some point in seven of the last eight seasons (not in 2021) ... The Bruins have risen as high as No. 1 in the AVCA poll in five seasons under Coach John Speraw -- 2024,2023, 2022, 2016, 2014 ... UCLA has ended a season ranked No. 1 in the AVCA poll a record 10 times (1987, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1995,1996, 1998, 2000, 2006, 2023) over the years.
Ranking Notes — After recording a block solo in the home match against Long Beach last week, Merrick McHenry moved past Garrett Muagututia (2007-10, 44), at the top of the school list for career block solos with his 45th BS ... UCLA entered the week ranked among the nation's top 10 in kills per set (2nd-13.04), set assists (2nd-12.39), blocks per set (3rd-2.74), hitting % (4th-.355),and aces (9th-1.87) ... So far in 2024, UCLA has seven double-digit total block efforts (Lewis, Loyola,Ohio St., UCSB, UCI, Long Beach 2x), two double-digit ace performances (Lewis-14, UCI-10) and has hit at least .400 in four matches ... Two Bruins rate among the nation's top 10 this season in categories -- Andrew Rowan began the week 2nd in the nation in set assists/set (10.47) and Merrick McHenry was 7th in blocking (1.16) ... Last season marked the second straight season in which the Bruins topped the nation in hitting percentage after posting a .374 mark in 2022. UCLA hit at least .400 in 17 matches in 2023. The Bruins had seven matches in '23 with at least 10 aces, including the championship match against Hawai'i (UCSD-18, Ohio St.-11, UCI-10, CUI-13, Purdue Ft. Wayne-10, Stanford-11, Hawai'i-10). UCLA recorded double-digit total blocks in 14 matches with a high of 18.5 against Pepperdine.
Weekly Player Honors — Merrick McHenry was named Off the Block's National Middle Attacker of the Week after averaging 2.6 kills per set on 33 swings while hitting .515 in helping UCLA to a split a pair of matches against No. 1 Long Beach State ... McHenry added a couple of aces and 11 blocks, including his 45th career block solo which pushed him into the top spot on the all-time UCLA list in the category.
This Week
• First Serve vs. Pepperdine (Wed. Feb. 14): 7 p.m. PT
Video: Pac-12 Los Angeles (Anne Marie Anderson)
https://pac-12.com/live?networks=P12LAX
Live Stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=498659
• First Serve at Pepperdine (Sat. Feb. 17): 2 p.m. PT
Video: ESPN+ https://www.espn.com/watch/
Live Stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=498345&vislive=ucla
The Bruins split a pair of matches against Long Beach last week with each team winning 3-1 on its home court in four sets. With last Saturday's win, UCLA has defeated the AVCA's No. 1-ranked team in each of the last four seasons -- 2024: Feb. 10 Long Beach (3-1) in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom; 2023: March 6 Hawai'i (3-1) in Fairfax, Va.; 2022: Feb. 19 vs. Long Beach (3-2) in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom; 2021: Feb. 4 at BYU (3-1). Highlights of last week included Merrick McHenry become the school's all-time leader in block solos and Ethan Champlin recording 17 digs in the win over Beach, the most by a Bruin player since 2016.
After 12 matches this season, UCLA owns a 126 to 88.5 edge over opponents in total blocks and 86 to 47 margin in service aces. It has out hit the first 12 opponents by a combined .355 to .237.
MPSF — The Bruins begin Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) action this week having won 19 straight regular-season league contests over the past two seasons since a loss at Stanford (Mar. 11, 2022). UCLA, which finished atop the 2023 MPSF standings with a 12-0 record, is picked to repeat by the coaches ... The '24 Pre-season MPSF coaches poll: 1-UCLA, 2-Stanford, T3-BYU, T3-GCU, 5-USC, 6-Pepperdine, 7-CUI ... this year's MPSF Post-Season Tournament will be held at USC on April 17-20 with the league's auto bid to the NCAA Tournament on the line.
UCLA and Rankings — UCLA was voted No. 4 in this week's AVCA and Off the Block polls. The Bruins have been ranked as high as No. 2 in the AVCA poll at some point in seven of the last eight seasons (not in 2021) ... The Bruins have risen as high as No. 1 in the AVCA poll in five seasons under Coach John Speraw -- 2024,2023, 2022, 2016, 2014 ... UCLA has ended a season ranked No. 1 in the AVCA poll a record 10 times (1987, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1995,1996, 1998, 2000, 2006, 2023) over the years.
Ranking Notes — After recording a block solo in the home match against Long Beach last week, Merrick McHenry moved past Garrett Muagututia (2007-10, 44), at the top of the school list for career block solos with his 45th BS ... UCLA entered the week ranked among the nation's top 10 in kills per set (2nd-13.04), set assists (2nd-12.39), blocks per set (3rd-2.74), hitting % (4th-.355),and aces (9th-1.87) ... So far in 2024, UCLA has seven double-digit total block efforts (Lewis, Loyola,Ohio St., UCSB, UCI, Long Beach 2x), two double-digit ace performances (Lewis-14, UCI-10) and has hit at least .400 in four matches ... Two Bruins rate among the nation's top 10 this season in categories -- Andrew Rowan began the week 2nd in the nation in set assists/set (10.47) and Merrick McHenry was 7th in blocking (1.16) ... Last season marked the second straight season in which the Bruins topped the nation in hitting percentage after posting a .374 mark in 2022. UCLA hit at least .400 in 17 matches in 2023. The Bruins had seven matches in '23 with at least 10 aces, including the championship match against Hawai'i (UCSD-18, Ohio St.-11, UCI-10, CUI-13, Purdue Ft. Wayne-10, Stanford-11, Hawai'i-10). UCLA recorded double-digit total blocks in 14 matches with a high of 18.5 against Pepperdine.
Weekly Player Honors — Merrick McHenry was named Off the Block's National Middle Attacker of the Week after averaging 2.6 kills per set on 33 swings while hitting .515 in helping UCLA to a split a pair of matches against No. 1 Long Beach State ... McHenry added a couple of aces and 11 blocks, including his 45th career block solo which pushed him into the top spot on the all-time UCLA list in the category.
Players Mentioned
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