MVB Sweeps Antelopes
The No. 9 UCLA men's volleyball team opened up the 2021 season with a straight set win over No. 10 Grand Canyon in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) contest played in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom on Friday morning. Scores of the match were 25-20, 25-22, 25-22.
UCLA used a balanced attack, with five players totaling six kills or more, to secure their season-opening win. Cole Ketrzynski topped the Bruins with 13 kills while David Matheney added a career-high 10 kills out of the middle attack. The home team outhit the Antelopes .341 to .229 for the match and setter Sam Kobrine recorded a career-best 40 set assists. Cole Pender led UCLA with 11 digs and handled 13 serves without a reception error.
In set one, UCLA snapped a 9-all tie by scoring five of the next six points to take a 14-10 lead on a block by Merrick McHenry and Ethan Champlin. GCU closed to 19-17, but McHenry and Ketrzynski came through with back-to-back kills. Champlin had the answer with swings for points 24 and 25 as UCLA captured the set 25-20. The Bruin outhit Grand Canyon .406 to .222 for the frame with four kills each for Champlin, McHenry and Ketrzynski.
In set two, the Bruins jumped out to an early 4-1 edge and then took a 13-10 lead after a Matheney kill. Big digs from Pender and Champlin set up Ketrzynski for a kill to earn a 19-14 advantage. After GCU closed to 23-20, Sam Kobrine won a joust at the net to make it 24-20. Austin Matautia's kill ended the set at 25-22.
UCLA moved out to a 7-4 edge in set three after back-to-back kills by Matheney. Two straight kills by Ketrzynski lifted the Bruins into a 13-8 lead. GCU narrowed the margin to two at 13-11 and then 16-14. After the gap was reduced to one, at 17-16, Matheney, with a tip, and Matautia produced kills to extend the margin. Another Matheney spike bought the Bruins to match point at 24-21. UCLA took the set and the match after a GCU error.
UCLA will return to action next week with a pair of road matches at top-ranked BYU on Feb. 4 and Feb. 6. The next home contest is slated for Feb. 13 versus USC.