UCLA men's volleyball swept the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) / Molten Player of the Week awards announced on Monday afternoon after handing No. 2-ranked Long Beach State it first two defeats of the season last week on Feb. 9 and 10.
Senior outside hitter Alex Knight was named the MPSF/Molten Offensive Player of the Week. He was the lone Bruin to put together back-to-back double-digit kill efforts in the pair of wins over the Beach. Knight swung at a .476 clip for the week and averaged 3.3 kills per set. In the home sweep on Feb. 9, his performance helped UCLA achieve a team and MPSF season-best hitting percentage of .551. Knight also added clean receptions on 34 of 35 Beach serves for a .971 percentage over the two matches. This is the first weekly MPSF honor for Knight.
Freshman setter Andrew Rowan, the MPSF/Molten Defensive Player of the Week, racked up seven blocks (1.0 / set), including five block solos, to help the Bruins take down Long Beach twice. On Thursday, he led the team with five blocks (four solo blocks) and added a match-high six digs (2.0 / set) in the home sweep. Rowan also set the team to an MPSF season-high .551 attack percentage in that match. He came right back on Friday night at Long Beach and produced two blocks, including one solo, and two aces. His serve continually picked up points as he ended both the deuce sets, in the third and fourth sets, on the service line for the Bruins' deciding 24th and 25th points in each frame. The Bruins hit a combined .389 percentage for the pair of matches. This is the first career MPSF honor for Rowan who was named offtheblockblog.com's National Setter of the Week earlier on Monday.
The now No. 2-ranked Bruins (11-1, 0-0) will begin MPSF league play this week by hosting No. 8 BYU (8-2, 0-0) on Friday and Saturday nights. The Friday match will begin at 7 p.m. in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. On Saturday, the teams will battle on Collins Court in the Wooden Center beginning at 5 p.m.
Senior outside hitter Alex Knight was named the MPSF/Molten Offensive Player of the Week. He was the lone Bruin to put together back-to-back double-digit kill efforts in the pair of wins over the Beach. Knight swung at a .476 clip for the week and averaged 3.3 kills per set. In the home sweep on Feb. 9, his performance helped UCLA achieve a team and MPSF season-best hitting percentage of .551. Knight also added clean receptions on 34 of 35 Beach serves for a .971 percentage over the two matches. This is the first weekly MPSF honor for Knight.
Freshman setter Andrew Rowan, the MPSF/Molten Defensive Player of the Week, racked up seven blocks (1.0 / set), including five block solos, to help the Bruins take down Long Beach twice. On Thursday, he led the team with five blocks (four solo blocks) and added a match-high six digs (2.0 / set) in the home sweep. Rowan also set the team to an MPSF season-high .551 attack percentage in that match. He came right back on Friday night at Long Beach and produced two blocks, including one solo, and two aces. His serve continually picked up points as he ended both the deuce sets, in the third and fourth sets, on the service line for the Bruins' deciding 24th and 25th points in each frame. The Bruins hit a combined .389 percentage for the pair of matches. This is the first career MPSF honor for Rowan who was named offtheblockblog.com's National Setter of the Week earlier on Monday.
The now No. 2-ranked Bruins (11-1, 0-0) will begin MPSF league play this week by hosting No. 8 BYU (8-2, 0-0) on Friday and Saturday nights. The Friday match will begin at 7 p.m. in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. On Saturday, the teams will battle on Collins Court in the Wooden Center beginning at 5 p.m.