The No. 5 UCLA men's volleyball team (8-2) hit .432 for the match and finished off No. 7 UC Irvine (5-3) in four sets in a non-league contest on Friday night in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Scores of the match were 25-23, 23-25, 28-26, 25-22.
Cooper Robinson led the way for UCLA with a career-high 23 kills. Grant Sloane and Zach Rama came off the bench to supply a combined 14 kills, three aces, 12 digs and three blocks. Guy Genis added a season-high 11 kills. Merrick McHenry tied Garrett Muagututia's (2007-10) school record for most career block solos (44) during the match while adding six kills, eight blocks and a couple of aces. Andrew Rowan set the Bruins to a plus-.400 mark for the fourth time this season.
UC Irvine scored the first five points of set one. UCLA regrouped and cut the gap to 5-10 after a Genis kill. Alex Knight stepped to the service line and produced three straight points, including one on an ace, to make it 8-10. McHenry's kill leveled the score at 12 and then teamed up with Rowan on a block to send UCLA in front for the first time. The score was tied up at points 13 through 18 before the visitors tallied two straight to go up 18-20. A Robinson kill halted the run for 19-20. An Irvine service error and consecutive aces from Ido David helped to propel the Bruins into a 22-21 edge. UC Irvine tied the score at 22 and 23. McHenry's spike broke the tie and Genis followed up with a kill for a 25-23 win. There were 10 ties and five lead changes in the frame.
The Bruins moved in front 7-5 in set two after a block by Robinson/Genis. A Robinson swing made it 9-6. UC Irvine came back to even the score at 12-each. Kills by Robinson along with David and a block by Genis/Robinson put UCLA up 17-14. A Knight kill made it 19-16, but UCI answered with three straight for the tie. Two more by the Anteaters made it 21-23. A service error pulled the Bruins to within one, but UCI responded with a kill. Rama's spike saved a set point, but a UCI kill ended the set at 23-25. There were 11 ties and four lead changes in the set.
UC Irvine went up 4-8 to begin set three. Two kills by Robinson narrowed the gap to 8-11. David's swing leveled the score at 14-all. Three straight points by the 'Eaters put them in front 15-18, but the Bruins tallied the next three to pull even. With UCLA down 20-23, Sloane ignited a rally with a kill. Rama/Genis/Rowan followed with a block to move the Bruins to within one. McHenry then fired off two straight aces to push UCLA in front 24-23. UC Irvine fought off three set points before Sloane connected for a 27-26 lead and an Anteater ball handling error ended the set.
Plays from Sloane and Rama helped UCLA get off the a good start in set four at 8-6. UCI came back to tie the score at points 9 through 15. Rama's swing put UCLA up 16-15 and Robinson added a kill for 17-15. The visitors battled back to level the score at points 17 to 21. Rama stepped to line and delivered three straight aces for a 24-21 lead. An Anteater block saved one match point, but Robinson's 23rd kill of the night was a match-winner. There were 17 ties and five lead changes during the final set.
Cooper Robinson led the way for UCLA with a career-high 23 kills. Grant Sloane and Zach Rama came off the bench to supply a combined 14 kills, three aces, 12 digs and three blocks. Guy Genis added a season-high 11 kills. Merrick McHenry tied Garrett Muagututia's (2007-10) school record for most career block solos (44) during the match while adding six kills, eight blocks and a couple of aces. Andrew Rowan set the Bruins to a plus-.400 mark for the fourth time this season.
UC Irvine scored the first five points of set one. UCLA regrouped and cut the gap to 5-10 after a Genis kill. Alex Knight stepped to the service line and produced three straight points, including one on an ace, to make it 8-10. McHenry's kill leveled the score at 12 and then teamed up with Rowan on a block to send UCLA in front for the first time. The score was tied up at points 13 through 18 before the visitors tallied two straight to go up 18-20. A Robinson kill halted the run for 19-20. An Irvine service error and consecutive aces from Ido David helped to propel the Bruins into a 22-21 edge. UC Irvine tied the score at 22 and 23. McHenry's spike broke the tie and Genis followed up with a kill for a 25-23 win. There were 10 ties and five lead changes in the frame.
The Bruins moved in front 7-5 in set two after a block by Robinson/Genis. A Robinson swing made it 9-6. UC Irvine came back to even the score at 12-each. Kills by Robinson along with David and a block by Genis/Robinson put UCLA up 17-14. A Knight kill made it 19-16, but UCI answered with three straight for the tie. Two more by the Anteaters made it 21-23. A service error pulled the Bruins to within one, but UCI responded with a kill. Rama's spike saved a set point, but a UCI kill ended the set at 23-25. There were 11 ties and four lead changes in the set.
UC Irvine went up 4-8 to begin set three. Two kills by Robinson narrowed the gap to 8-11. David's swing leveled the score at 14-all. Three straight points by the 'Eaters put them in front 15-18, but the Bruins tallied the next three to pull even. With UCLA down 20-23, Sloane ignited a rally with a kill. Rama/Genis/Rowan followed with a block to move the Bruins to within one. McHenry then fired off two straight aces to push UCLA in front 24-23. UC Irvine fought off three set points before Sloane connected for a 27-26 lead and an Anteater ball handling error ended the set.
Plays from Sloane and Rama helped UCLA get off the a good start in set four at 8-6. UCI came back to tie the score at points 9 through 15. Rama's swing put UCLA up 16-15 and Robinson added a kill for 17-15. The visitors battled back to level the score at points 17 to 21. Rama stepped to line and delivered three straight aces for a 24-21 lead. An Anteater block saved one match point, but Robinson's 23rd kill of the night was a match-winner. There were 17 ties and five lead changes during the final set.