Thursday, April 7
Malibu, CA
7:00 PM
UCLA
at
Pepperdine
Senior Cole Pender
Photo by: Marie Goldfarb
MVB Battles Pepperdine Twice This Week
April 06, 2022 | Men's Volleyball
No. 1 BRUINS SQUARE OFF WITH No. 8 WAVES — UCLA (17-3, 7-1), ranked No. 1 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll, will battle Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) rival No. 8 Pepperdine (14-7, 5-3) on Thursday in Malibu at 7 p.m. and then on Saturday in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom at 6 p.m. in a match which will be televised by Pac-12 Network Los Angeles.
• Thursday Apr. 7 at Pepperdine: 7 p.m. PT
Live Video: https://wccsports.com/watch/?sid=474253
Live Stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=381086
• Saturday Apr. 9 vs. Pepperdine: 6 p.m. PT in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom
TV/Video: Pac-12 Los Angeles https://pac-12.com/live?networks=P12LAX
Live Stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=382176
The Waves enter the week in second place in the MPSF behind the Bruins. The winner of the MPSF regular season race will host the entire league tournament this season (Apr. 20-23). UCLA or Pepperdine rank first or second in several key MPSF league stats this week: Hitting% (UCLA-1), Assists (Pepp-1), Blocks (Pepp-1), Kills (UCLA-1) and Aces (Pepp-1). Home court has been crucial in the series as the Bruins have won the last four matchups played in Westwood while losing the past three matches in Malibu to the Waves. UCLA's last win at Pepp was in 2017. Pepperdine's last win in Westwood came in 2015.
UCLA would win the MPSF regular season and host each round of the conference tournament for the first time since 1998 with a pair of wins over the Waves this week.The Bruins would also clinch the tournament's No. 1 seed with a split this week, provided they won the sets/points battle over the Waves across the two meetings (after head to head, the next two tie breakers are highest percentage of MPSF conference sets won in the matches played between tied teams and then points scored divided by points allowed in MPSF conference matches between tied teams).
MPSF STANDINGS (as of 4.4.22)
1. UCLA 7-1
2. Pepperdine 5-3
3. Grand Canyon 6-4
4. USC 4-4
5. BYU 3-5
6. Concordia 3-7
7. Stanford 2-6
UCLA AS NO. 1 -- UCLA held its spot at the top in the AVCA poll for a seventh week. This year's top ranking marks the first appearance for the Bruins at No. 1 since week 12 of the 2016 season (week of Mar. 28). UCLA defeated then No. 1 Long Beach State in five sets on Feb. 19, 2022 to advance into the top of the poll. The Bruins were also ranked No. 1 in the 2016 campaign over an earlier three-week period in weeks 2, 3 and 4 (Jan. 18-Feb. 1). UCLA has been ranked as high as No. 2 in the AVCA poll in 6 of the last 7 seasons (not in 2021).
THE SCHEDULE AHEAD -- UCLA (complete records date to 1976) leads the series against the Waves 76-45.The Bruins finish off the regular season with a home match (Pepp) and three road contests (at Pepp and two at BYU). Over the past four-plus seasons, UCLA is 8-10 in battles against these two MPSF opponents --- (3-4 v. Pepp., 5-6 v. BYU). Over that period, UCLA is 0-3 at Pepperdine and 1-5 at BYU while posting home mark of 3-0 v. Pepperdine.
MPSF TOURNAMENT -- The top-seeded team after the conclusion of regular season play will host the entire MPSF post-season Tournament beginning on Apr. 20 with three quarterfinal matches. Semis on Apr. 21 and the championship match on Apr. 23. FloSports will stream all matches of the MPSF Tournament.
NCAA / MPSF RANKINGS -- Entering the week the Bruins are rated in the Top 10 nationally in hitting % (1st-.372), kills (2nd-13.21), set assists (5th-12.17) aces (9th-1.61) and blocks (9th-2.35). Merrick McHenry leads the nation in hitting percentage at .535. Miles Partain ranks 9th in the nation in set assists per frame at 10.21. Guy Genis is 12th in blocks (1.04). UCLA leads the MPSF in hitting% (.372) and kills per set (13.21).
TEAM NOTES -- UCLA has hit for a higher % than its opponent in all 17 wins this season; it has hit at least .350 in 15 matches and hit at least .400 in 6 of last 9 matches (season-high .576 mark at Morehouse, 3/25) ... Bruins own a 14-1 mark in matches when recording more blocks than the opponent ... UCLA has outblocked its last 5 opponents 38.5 to 21.0 and outaced its last 5 opponents 40 to 9 (with school record 18 at Fort Valley St.) ... USC hit just .190 and .150 in last week's matches to mark the 8th and 9th times this season UCLA has held an opponent held under .200.
PLAYER NOTES -- Ethan Champlin has an ace in 13 of the last 14 matches and a total of 27 over that span ... he began the week 3rd in the MPSF and 16th in NCAA in aces (0.47) ... he had a school record four-straight service aces in a set during win at UCSD ... Miles Partain is 9th in NCAA in set assists (10.21) average ... he has 22 block assists in last 8 MPSF matches ... Guy Genis has hit .497 over the past 12 matches (95k-17e-157ta) ... he began the week 12th in the NCAA in blocks (1.04 per set) ... Genis had a season-best of 9 BAs at Stanford (3/12) ... Merrick McHenry opened the week leading nation in hitting% (.535) ... he has hit 61k-5e-87 (.644) over last 9 matches ... he tied his career-high with 6 block assists vs. GCU (3/3) ... Kevin Kobrine is ranked 18th nationally (9th in MPSF) in hitting percentage (.380) ... he has 71 kills over last 6 MPSF matches and had a season-high 14 kills at USC (3/31) and vs. GCU (3/4) ... Alex Knight totaled season-best 11 kills at CUI and 11 digs at USC.
AT HOME/AWAY -- UCLA is 7-2 in away matches this season (losses at Stanford, at Beach) ... the Bruins are 10-1 at home (3-1 in Wooden Ctr.-loss to Lewis; 7-0 in Pauley) ... Over the past six-plus seasons, UCLA is 54-7 in matches played in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom (2016: 10-1--lost to UCI, 2017: 8-1--CSUN, 2018: 13-2--Long Beach 2xs, 2019: 7-1--Long Beach; 2020: 2-0; 2021: 7-2--lost to USC, BYU; 2022: 7-0). UCLA is 3-1 this season on Collins Court and 15-7 over the last six-plus seasons in the John Wooden Center.
• Thursday Apr. 7 at Pepperdine: 7 p.m. PT
Live Video: https://wccsports.com/watch/?sid=474253
Live Stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=381086
• Saturday Apr. 9 vs. Pepperdine: 6 p.m. PT in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom
TV/Video: Pac-12 Los Angeles https://pac-12.com/live?networks=P12LAX
Live Stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=382176
The Waves enter the week in second place in the MPSF behind the Bruins. The winner of the MPSF regular season race will host the entire league tournament this season (Apr. 20-23). UCLA or Pepperdine rank first or second in several key MPSF league stats this week: Hitting% (UCLA-1), Assists (Pepp-1), Blocks (Pepp-1), Kills (UCLA-1) and Aces (Pepp-1). Home court has been crucial in the series as the Bruins have won the last four matchups played in Westwood while losing the past three matches in Malibu to the Waves. UCLA's last win at Pepp was in 2017. Pepperdine's last win in Westwood came in 2015.
UCLA would win the MPSF regular season and host each round of the conference tournament for the first time since 1998 with a pair of wins over the Waves this week.The Bruins would also clinch the tournament's No. 1 seed with a split this week, provided they won the sets/points battle over the Waves across the two meetings (after head to head, the next two tie breakers are highest percentage of MPSF conference sets won in the matches played between tied teams and then points scored divided by points allowed in MPSF conference matches between tied teams).
MPSF STANDINGS (as of 4.4.22)
1. UCLA 7-1
2. Pepperdine 5-3
3. Grand Canyon 6-4
4. USC 4-4
5. BYU 3-5
6. Concordia 3-7
7. Stanford 2-6
UCLA AS NO. 1 -- UCLA held its spot at the top in the AVCA poll for a seventh week. This year's top ranking marks the first appearance for the Bruins at No. 1 since week 12 of the 2016 season (week of Mar. 28). UCLA defeated then No. 1 Long Beach State in five sets on Feb. 19, 2022 to advance into the top of the poll. The Bruins were also ranked No. 1 in the 2016 campaign over an earlier three-week period in weeks 2, 3 and 4 (Jan. 18-Feb. 1). UCLA has been ranked as high as No. 2 in the AVCA poll in 6 of the last 7 seasons (not in 2021).
THE SCHEDULE AHEAD -- UCLA (complete records date to 1976) leads the series against the Waves 76-45.The Bruins finish off the regular season with a home match (Pepp) and three road contests (at Pepp and two at BYU). Over the past four-plus seasons, UCLA is 8-10 in battles against these two MPSF opponents --- (3-4 v. Pepp., 5-6 v. BYU). Over that period, UCLA is 0-3 at Pepperdine and 1-5 at BYU while posting home mark of 3-0 v. Pepperdine.
MPSF TOURNAMENT -- The top-seeded team after the conclusion of regular season play will host the entire MPSF post-season Tournament beginning on Apr. 20 with three quarterfinal matches. Semis on Apr. 21 and the championship match on Apr. 23. FloSports will stream all matches of the MPSF Tournament.
NCAA / MPSF RANKINGS -- Entering the week the Bruins are rated in the Top 10 nationally in hitting % (1st-.372), kills (2nd-13.21), set assists (5th-12.17) aces (9th-1.61) and blocks (9th-2.35). Merrick McHenry leads the nation in hitting percentage at .535. Miles Partain ranks 9th in the nation in set assists per frame at 10.21. Guy Genis is 12th in blocks (1.04). UCLA leads the MPSF in hitting% (.372) and kills per set (13.21).
TEAM NOTES -- UCLA has hit for a higher % than its opponent in all 17 wins this season; it has hit at least .350 in 15 matches and hit at least .400 in 6 of last 9 matches (season-high .576 mark at Morehouse, 3/25) ... Bruins own a 14-1 mark in matches when recording more blocks than the opponent ... UCLA has outblocked its last 5 opponents 38.5 to 21.0 and outaced its last 5 opponents 40 to 9 (with school record 18 at Fort Valley St.) ... USC hit just .190 and .150 in last week's matches to mark the 8th and 9th times this season UCLA has held an opponent held under .200.
PLAYER NOTES -- Ethan Champlin has an ace in 13 of the last 14 matches and a total of 27 over that span ... he began the week 3rd in the MPSF and 16th in NCAA in aces (0.47) ... he had a school record four-straight service aces in a set during win at UCSD ... Miles Partain is 9th in NCAA in set assists (10.21) average ... he has 22 block assists in last 8 MPSF matches ... Guy Genis has hit .497 over the past 12 matches (95k-17e-157ta) ... he began the week 12th in the NCAA in blocks (1.04 per set) ... Genis had a season-best of 9 BAs at Stanford (3/12) ... Merrick McHenry opened the week leading nation in hitting% (.535) ... he has hit 61k-5e-87 (.644) over last 9 matches ... he tied his career-high with 6 block assists vs. GCU (3/3) ... Kevin Kobrine is ranked 18th nationally (9th in MPSF) in hitting percentage (.380) ... he has 71 kills over last 6 MPSF matches and had a season-high 14 kills at USC (3/31) and vs. GCU (3/4) ... Alex Knight totaled season-best 11 kills at CUI and 11 digs at USC.
AT HOME/AWAY -- UCLA is 7-2 in away matches this season (losses at Stanford, at Beach) ... the Bruins are 10-1 at home (3-1 in Wooden Ctr.-loss to Lewis; 7-0 in Pauley) ... Over the past six-plus seasons, UCLA is 54-7 in matches played in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom (2016: 10-1--lost to UCI, 2017: 8-1--CSUN, 2018: 13-2--Long Beach 2xs, 2019: 7-1--Long Beach; 2020: 2-0; 2021: 7-2--lost to USC, BYU; 2022: 7-0). UCLA is 3-1 this season on Collins Court and 15-7 over the last six-plus seasons in the John Wooden Center.
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