MVB Blanked by No. 2 Long Beach

Saturday, February 18

Los Angeles, Calif.

4:00 PM

UCLA

10-5, 7-4

Long Beach State

12-2, 8-1

Long Beach State

UCLA

MVB Blanked by No. 2 Long Beach

February 18, 2017 | Men's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (pdf)

No. 5 UCLA lost to No. 2 Long Beach State in straight sets in an MPSF volleyball match played on Saturday evening in the Wooden Center. Scores of the contest were 20-25, 23-25, 22-25. UCLA is now 10-6 overall and 7-5 in league action this season. The Bruins were led by Daenan Gyimah, who totaled 13 kills and hit .800, and Dylan Missry, who added 10 kills and a career-best five block assists while hitting .320.

In set one, Long Beach State used a 0-3 run to separate after the score had been even at the first six points of the match. UCLA closed to 12-15 on a kill by Micah Ma'a, but could not pull even again. Long Beach hit .500 for the set and posted an 85% sideout rate.

Set two went the 49ers way early as the visitor's jumped out to a 3-7 advantage. Long Beach built the lead out to 11-18 before UCLA slowly worked their way back into the set. Eric Sprague came in to serve the Bruins to six straight points, including his first ace of the season, to slice the gap to 17-19. Jake Arnitz and Gyimah combined on a block to make it 18-19. Michael Fisher then came off the bench with a big dig and a key serve to help the Bruin even the score at 23-all. However, the 49ers had the answers with a kill and an ace for a 23-25 win.

Neither team separated in set three until Long Beach went on a 0-3 run for a 10-13 lead. UCLA came back to within one, at 19-20, after plays by Hagen Smith and Gyimah. Another Gyimah kill made it 20-21, but a Long Beach attack and a Bruin net call made it 20-23. The visitors went on to win 22-25.

UCLA hit .366 for the match to .404 for Long Beach. Long Beach recorded five aces to one for UCLA. The Bruins won the blocking battle 10.0 to 6.5. Ma'a topped UCLA with seven digs, while Davis Gillett added six. Missry and Gyimah each finished with five block assists. Arnitz registered five kills and a block.

The Bruins head back on to the road next week with MPSF matches at No. 8 UC Irvine and UC San Diego on Friday and Saturday, respectively. The next home contest is on March 8 vs. No. 7 Lewis.