University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
15-7
Concordia University (California)
16-9
MVB Goes the Distance to Win Fifth Straight
March 18, 2017 | Men's Volleyball
No. 6 UCLA went the distance and rallied to take a five-set win over Concordia, Irvine in a non-league match played on Saturday night in the Wooden Center. Scores of the contest were 25-22, 23-25, 23-25, 25-16, 15-9. Junior Jake Arnitz led UCLA with 17 kills and a season-high six block assists. Soph Dylan Missry joined Arnitz in double digits kills with 14 and added three aces. UCLA hit .349 for the match and won the serving battle, 7-2 and out blocked the Eagles 16.5 (season-high) to 10.5. The Bruins are now 15-7 on the season and will take next week off for exams before returning to the court on Mar. 29 at USC.
The Bruins were forced to rally from a 1-4 deficit at the beginning of set five. UCLA pulled even at five-all after an Eagle error and the score was level again at points six and seven before the home team took an 8-7 edge at the court change on an Arnitz kill. He followed up with another kill for a 9-7 lead and then teamed with Mitch Stahl on three straight blocks to lift the Bruins into a 13-7 advantage. Jackson Bantle delivered a kill to set up match point at 14-9 and Missry ended the match on a block solo.
In set four, UCLA responded to the Eagle's challenge by storming out to a 10-5 lead after an ace from Arnitz and a kill by Missry. Concordia closed to 14-10, but UCLA ran off three of the next four points for a 17-11 lead. UCLA led 20-13 after a Missry block. Stahl and Hagen Smith teamed up on a block to make it 24-16 and UCLA won 25-16. The Bruins hit .480 for the set with 5.5 blocks.
Service errors plagued the Bruins in sets two and three. In set three, UCLA fell behind 3-8 early before coming back to even the score at 10 after JT Hatch hit off hands. A Missry ace sent the Bruins into the lead at 11-10, but it was the last of the set for the home team. Concordia pulled out to a 20-24 lead before Hatch helped serve the Bruins back into the set. UCLA saved three set points but could not complete the comeback, falling 23-25 after hitting just .179. In set two, Concordia broke a 14-all tie with three quick points. UCLA moved to within one point several times but could not grab the lead. Kills by Daenan Gyimah and Arnitz tied the score at 23, but the Eagles tallied the next two points for the win.
UCLA started off strong in set one, jumping to an 8-4 edge. Concordia closed to 15-13, but the Bruins answered with an Arnitz kill and a block by Missry and Gyimah. The Eagles moved back to within two at 18-16, 20-18 and 22-20. Christian Hessenauer and Gyimah teamed up for a block to make it 24-21. Hessenauer's fifth kill of the set gave the Bruins the win at 25-22.
Arnitz hit .464 for the match on 28 swings. Stahl had nine kills (.375) and served up at least one ace (2 v. Concordia) in his 14th straight match. Gyimah added five kills (.714) and two blocks. Hessenauer totaled eight kills and two blocks. Bantle came off the bench for four kills, an ace, five digs and two blocks. Hatch also entered the match late and came up with five kills (.375). Smith had a season-high 58 set assists and matched his season best with a block solo and five block assists.
