The top-ranked men's volleyball team tuned up for Wednesday's showdown with #2 ranked Long Beach State by handing Princeton a 3-0 setback on Monday evening in Pauley. Scores of the match were 25-19, 25-23, 25-16. UCLA improved its record to 8-0 on the year, the best start by a Bruin team since the 2000 squad opened up with nine straight wins.

Freshman Dylan Missry led the way for UCLA with 10 kills while hitting .300. JT Hatch added nine kills and eight digs. Micah Ma'a had seven kills, 26 set assists and four block assists. John Zappia finished with seven kills and five block assists. The Bruins outhit PU .319 to .105 and outblocked the visitors 9.5 to 5.5 for the match

After a slow start in set one, UCLA found itself having to rally from a 4-8 deficit. Coach John Speraw called for a timeout and the Bruins turned it on and evened the score at 10-all after a kill by Hatch.UCLA gradually pulled away and led 17-13 after a Missry kill and 22-16 following another kill by Hatch. A Zappia kill ended the set at 25-19.

The Bruins once again came out sluggish at the start of set two and went down 1-5. An ace from Hagen Smith completed a mini rally to even the score at 6-all. Plays from Ma'a, Missry and Zappia put UCLA up 18-15, but the Tigers came back to level the score at 18. Hatch's tough serve helped break a 22-all deadlock and the Bruins took set one after a Missry blast 25-23.

In set three, the Bruins moved out to a 5-2 advantage and built up a 9-3 lead after Hatch hit off the block. UCLA steadily pulled away and led 20-11 following a Jake Reeves kill and went on to record a 25-16 win.

Next UCLA will host #2 Long Beach State, which split this past weekend with #3 BYU, on Wednesday night in Pauley. First serve is at 7 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door.