MVB Tops Trojans In Four Sets

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The No. 7 UCLA men's volleyball team (3-2) captured a four-set verdict over USC (1-1) in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) contest held on Thursday evening in the Galen Center. Scores of the match were 25-23, 25-20, 27-29, 25-21. Sophomore Cole Ketrzynski led the way for UCLA with a career-best 18 kills to go with three aces. The Bruins outhit the Trojans .283 to .173 for the contest. The same two teams will battle again on Saturday evening in the Galen Pavilion.
 
In set one, UCLA rebounded from an early 1-4 deficit to move in front, 7-6, after back-to-back aces by Ketrzynski. The Bruins extended the margin to 13-9 on a kill by Ethan Champlin. The Trojans rallied to even the score at 16. A Merrick McHenry / Sam Kobrine block capped off three straight points for UCLA for a 19-16 margin. A block by Champlin handed the Bruins a 24-20 advantage and a kill by the freshman ended the set at 25-23. Ketrzynski returned to the lineup after a three-match absence, with six kills and two aces in the frame.
 
UCLA moved out to an 8-4 lead to begin the second set following a block by McHenry / Austin Matautia. A McHenry spike made it 15-11. UCLA led 21-17 after a Kevin Kobrine kill. Ian Eschenberg came on to serve and helped force a USC error which ended the set with UCLA up 25-20. USC was limited to a .071 hitting percentage.
 
After the Trojans grabbed a 5-7 edge, aces from McHenry and Matautia leveled the score at 7 and then at 10-all, respectively. A Trojan spurt moved the home team back in front 14-18. A couple of Matautia kills and a block from Alex Knight helped UCLA tie the score at 20-each. A kill from McHenry knotted the score at 24. UCLA fought off a couple of set points on kills by Knight and Matautia before USC put a block and a kill together to win the frame 27-29. The Bruins had eight errors in the set and managed to hit only .159.
 
USC earned a 3-6 margin early in the set. UCLA came back to even the score at 9-all on a block by Champlin / Ketrzynski. After the Bruins tied the score at 10 on a kill by Ketrzynski, the Trojans rattled off three straight for a 10-13 edge. UCLA closed to 16-17 after an Ian Parish kill and then tied the score at 18 on a kill by Champlin. Another swing by Champlin broke a 20-20 tie and UCLA led 23-20 after a couple of USC errors were added to the mix. Matautia's spike ended the set and the match at 25-21. UCLA hit .379 for the set.