Bruins Take Down CSUN in Four Sets

The ninth-ranked men's volleyball team evened its record in MPSF play with a four-set win over No. 14 CSUN on Tuesday night in Pauley Pavilion. Scores of the victory were 16-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-23. UCLA is now 10-6 overall and 6-6 in league play.

After a slow start,  the Bruins rallied behind the play of J.T. Hatch and Eric Sprague. Hatch matched his career-best with 17 kills in the contest after switching from the libero position, where he started, to the outside hitter spot for the final three sets. Sprague came on in set two and totaled a career-best 11 kills for the match, while hitting .533.

UCLA hit .000 in the first set, with nine errors, and never held a lead in a 16-25 setback. CSUN hit at a .417 clip.

In set two, Hatch moved to hitter and Sprague, Jake Reeves and Jackson Bantle entered the lineup. Reeves and Hatch combined for three straight points to hand the Bruins a 9-7 advantage. CSUN moved as close as one, at 10-9, but could not take the lead and UCLA went on to record a 25-21 verdict. 

Sprague's early actions helped put the Bruins up 6-2 in set three. CSUN battled back to even the set at 13-all. UCLA went back up 14-13 on a service error and was never headed. Reeves hit off hands for a 17-15 advantage. A pair of kills by Hatch made it 23-19 and then 24-20. Reeves' tip shot ended the set at 25-22.

CSUN jumped out to a 7-11 lead in set four. UCLA coach John Speraw called timeout after going down 12-16. Plays from Hatch made it 15-17, 17-18 and then he drew CSUN into the net for a tie at 18-all. Mitch Stahl's ace made it 19-18. Hatch then broke a 20-all tie with a kill. Reeves' blast ended the match with a 25-23 set win.

Reeves finished with eight kills and a career-high total of 10 digs. Bantle recorded 12 digs in three sets of action. Stahl totaled a season-high seven kills. Hagen Smith registered a season-best 50 set assists.

UCLA was outhit by the Matadors .283 to .248 for the match. CSUN also won the blocking battle 11.0 to 9.5. UCLA owned a 6-3 edge in aces and a 45-35 margin in digs.

The Bruins will welcome No. 10 Long Beach State to Pauley Pavilion on Friday at 7 p.m. on $1 ticket night http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0B004D967A04165F?did=offer&camefrom=EMCL_549213_24192696