The No. 2 UCLA men's volleyball team improved to 5-0 on the season with a sweep of No. 12 UC Santa Barbara in a non-league match on Friday night in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Scores of the match were 32-30, 25-17, 25-21. Four Bruins finished with double-digit kills led by Grant Sloane who totaled a season-high 11. Alex Knight, Merrick McHenry and Ethan Champlin added 10 apiece for the Bruins who out hit the Gauchos .308 to .149 for the contest.
UCLA opened up a 9-6 lead in set one after a kill by Champlin. UCSB fought back to even the score at 13-all. UCLA moved back in front, at 18-15, following a kill by Guy Genis. Sloane's swing made it 21-18. Another Champlin spike put UCLA up 24-21. The Gauchos then fought off eight set points before back-to-back attack errors doomed the visitors and handed UCLA a 32-30 win. Sloane and Champlin each finished with six kills in the frame.
The Bruins battled back from a 6-8 deficit to go up 12-10 after a Alex Knight / Merrick McHenry block. The lead grew to 17-12 on an ace by McHenry. A Knight swing made it 21-15. Kills by Sloane and Knight lifted the Bruins to set point at 24-17. A Gaucho service error terminated the set at 25-17.
UCLA advanced to a 9-5 lead to begin set three. A J.R. Norris block solo upped the margin to 12-8. McHenry's swing pushed the Bruin advantage to 19-14. Miles Partain added a kill for a 20-15 lead. After kills by Norris and Knight, UCLA opened the gap to 22-17. Champlin's smash down the line finished off the set at 25-21.
Partain had 36 set assists while libero Tory Gooch contributed eight digs to help UCLA establish a team season-high for digs with 52. The Bruins swing into action again on Saturday night in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom with a non-league contest against UC San Diego (3-4). First serve is slated for 7:04 p.m. The match will be broadcast by the Pac-12 Networks.
UCLA opened up a 9-6 lead in set one after a kill by Champlin. UCSB fought back to even the score at 13-all. UCLA moved back in front, at 18-15, following a kill by Guy Genis. Sloane's swing made it 21-18. Another Champlin spike put UCLA up 24-21. The Gauchos then fought off eight set points before back-to-back attack errors doomed the visitors and handed UCLA a 32-30 win. Sloane and Champlin each finished with six kills in the frame.
The Bruins battled back from a 6-8 deficit to go up 12-10 after a Alex Knight / Merrick McHenry block. The lead grew to 17-12 on an ace by McHenry. A Knight swing made it 21-15. Kills by Sloane and Knight lifted the Bruins to set point at 24-17. A Gaucho service error terminated the set at 25-17.
UCLA advanced to a 9-5 lead to begin set three. A J.R. Norris block solo upped the margin to 12-8. McHenry's swing pushed the Bruin advantage to 19-14. Miles Partain added a kill for a 20-15 lead. After kills by Norris and Knight, UCLA opened the gap to 22-17. Champlin's smash down the line finished off the set at 25-21.
Partain had 36 set assists while libero Tory Gooch contributed eight digs to help UCLA establish a team season-high for digs with 52. The Bruins swing into action again on Saturday night in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom with a non-league contest against UC San Diego (3-4). First serve is slated for 7:04 p.m. The match will be broadcast by the Pac-12 Networks.