UCLA's Johnson and Ker Named to All-MPSF First Team

UCLA's Johnson and Ker Named to All-MPSF First Team

April 25, 2005

UCLA senior middle blocker Paul Johnson and freshman libero Tony Ker were named First-Team All-MPSF, the conference announced on Monday.

The 6-8 Johnson leads the Bruins in every offensive statistical category. Through Monday he is hitting .498, a single season school record. He also leads the team in blocking (1.3 bpg), serving (43 aces), total kills (394) and points (520.5, 4.7 ppg). In addition, he is nationally ranked in each category.

Last season, Johnson earned All-MPSF Honorable Mention honors.

The 5-10 Ker has started 25 matches for the Bruins this season, and leads the team with 241 digs. He has passed better than 96 percent of his reception chances. Through Apr. 25, he is ranked among the national leaders in digs per game (2.41).

Seniors Kris Kraushaar and Allan Vince earned 2005 All-MPSF Honorable Mention honors. Kraushaar has passed better than 97 percent of his chances and ranks second on the team with 155 digs (1.6 dpg). He also ranks third on the team with 29 aces. Vince has hit .390 in 29 matches and has served 33 aces to rank second on the team in both categories.

Second-ranked UCLA (25-5) will continue to practice this week, and two starters will return to the starting lineup if the Bruins receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship, May 5 & 7 at Pauley Pavilion.

Senior opposite Brennan Prahler and senior outside hitter Jonathan Acosta have fully recovered from injuries that have kept them out of the lineup for several matches, Head Coach Al Scates announced Monday.

Prahler, who earned the starting job at opposite on Feb. 11, recorded 10 kills in his first start vs. UC San Diego and notched a double-double (15 kills, 10 digs) in his second start vs. Stanford. He suffered a sprained ankle early in Game 1 against Rutgers-Newark on Mar. 16. At the time of his injury, he was hitting .342 and averaging nearly 3.0 kills per game. He returned to the lineup on Apr. 9 vs. UC Santa Barbara and pounded 15 kills (.407) in a three-game victory. Last week in practice, he aggravated his ankle injury and did not suit up for UCLA's quarterfinal match against Cal State Northridge on Saturday.

Acosta had been playing hurt most of the season until sophomore Matt McKinney replaced him in the lineup on Apr. 2. Through January, Acosta was hitting above .325 until a lingering abdominal injury began affecting his play. His attack percentage had dropped to .298 on Mar. 2 and fell to .281 after the Bruins' road trip to the Bay Area in early April. In Saturday's playoff match, he came off the bench and recorded 12 kills (.476), an ace and one solo block for 14 points. He has regained his starting position, according to Scates.

Junior setter Dennis Gonzalez, who broke his finger in practice Apr. 21 and did not suit up on Saturday, was 15-3 as a starter this season. Fortunately, Scates will have setter Julio "Gaby" Acevedo available. Acevedo was 12-1 as the starting setter this season, including wins over Long Beach State (3-0), Pepperdine (3-0) and Cal State Northridge (3-2).

For ticket information regarding the 2005 NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship at UCLA, please call 310-UCLA-WIN.