The top-seeded UCLA men's volleyball team (23-5) saw its 12-match win streak snapped by No. 2 seed Grand Canyon (25-4) in the championship match of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) played on Saturday night in the Galen Center. Scores of the match were 16-25, 26-24, 17-25, 25-19, 10-15.
The Bruins will now await the NCAA Selection Show announcement on Sunday afternoon to learn if they will be included in the eight-team NCAA Championship field as an at-large team. The 2024 NCAA Collegiate Men's Volleyball Championship will be held at Long Beach's Walter Pyramid on Apr 30-May 4.
Grand Canyon capitalized on early Bruin errors to run out to a 6-9 lead in set one. The early momentum stayed with the 'Lopes who connected on their first seven attack attempts without error and went on to up the margin to 8-14. A Merrick McHenry ace and two Ethan Champlin kills narrowed the gap to 13-16. Sean McQuiggan's spike made it 14-17. However, the next five points went to the 'Lopes who grew the margin to 14-22. An Andrew Rowan, Cooper Robinson and McHenry block saved one set point, but GCU scored the next point for a 16-25 decision. The Bruins hit .185 with five errors to go with five service miscues in the frame.
UCLA opened up a 7-4 advantage to begin set two behind the service of Champlin. GCU rallied to even the score at 7-all. The next three points belonged to the Bruins. Robinson's pair of kills made it 12-9. Champlin's back row smash was good for 13-10. The teams then traded service mistakes until the media timeout at 15-12. Grant Sloane's swing had UCLA up 16-13. Robinson's kill put the Bruins up 17-15. A couple of GCU errors increased the margin to 19-16. McHenry scored for 21-18 and Robinson delivered his seventh kill of the set for 23-20. GCU answered with the next two points to slice the narrow to one. Two more kills by Robinson supplied the set winners in a 26-24 victory. UCLA hit .379 in the frame.
GCU moved out to an early 1-4 edge to begin set three. Champlin's kill reduced the deficit to 4-6, but GCU tallied four of the next five points. Guy Genis' kill made it 6-12. Kills by Champlin and Zach Rama made it 8-12. A Champlin / Genis / Ido David block sliced the gap to 14-16. A kill by Champlin made it 15-18, but GCU responded with a service run to go back up 16-23. A couple of Bruin errors and GCU took the set 17-25. The 'Lopes hit .538 for the frame.
David's consecutive kills lifted UCLA into a 10-6 lead to begin set four. Rama's swing put the Bruins up 11-7. McHenry fired off his third ace of the match for 14-9. David's kill was followed by Rama's solo block for 17-11. GCU responded with the next two points on a kill and its ninth ace of match. Rowan won a joust at the net for 18-13. GCU cut the margin to 18-15 before Champlin's kill put UCLA back in front by four. Rama's kill made it 20-16. The next two points went to the 'Lopes on back-to-back kills forcing a Bruin timeout. McHenry's kill was followed by a McHenry / Rama block for 22-18. David powered one cross court for 23-18 and Rama's kill gave the Bruins set point at 24-18. A GCU service error ended the set at 25-19. UCLA hit .593 for the frame.
GCU broke a 5-all tie with two straight points to go ahead 5-7 in set five. McHenry and Rowan teamed up for a block to make it 6-7. However, the next two points went to the 'Lopes for 6-9. Rama's back row kill cut the gap to 7-9. A GCU block and kill put GCU up 7-11. Rama's kill stopped the run for 8-12. David's attack went long and a GCU block made it 8-14. Two straight 'Lopes attack errors narrowed the gap to 10-14. A GCU kill ended the set and match at 10-15.
The Bruins will now await the NCAA Selection Show announcement on Sunday afternoon to learn if they will be included in the eight-team NCAA Championship field as an at-large team. The 2024 NCAA Collegiate Men's Volleyball Championship will be held at Long Beach's Walter Pyramid on Apr 30-May 4.
Grand Canyon capitalized on early Bruin errors to run out to a 6-9 lead in set one. The early momentum stayed with the 'Lopes who connected on their first seven attack attempts without error and went on to up the margin to 8-14. A Merrick McHenry ace and two Ethan Champlin kills narrowed the gap to 13-16. Sean McQuiggan's spike made it 14-17. However, the next five points went to the 'Lopes who grew the margin to 14-22. An Andrew Rowan, Cooper Robinson and McHenry block saved one set point, but GCU scored the next point for a 16-25 decision. The Bruins hit .185 with five errors to go with five service miscues in the frame.
UCLA opened up a 7-4 advantage to begin set two behind the service of Champlin. GCU rallied to even the score at 7-all. The next three points belonged to the Bruins. Robinson's pair of kills made it 12-9. Champlin's back row smash was good for 13-10. The teams then traded service mistakes until the media timeout at 15-12. Grant Sloane's swing had UCLA up 16-13. Robinson's kill put the Bruins up 17-15. A couple of GCU errors increased the margin to 19-16. McHenry scored for 21-18 and Robinson delivered his seventh kill of the set for 23-20. GCU answered with the next two points to slice the narrow to one. Two more kills by Robinson supplied the set winners in a 26-24 victory. UCLA hit .379 in the frame.
GCU moved out to an early 1-4 edge to begin set three. Champlin's kill reduced the deficit to 4-6, but GCU tallied four of the next five points. Guy Genis' kill made it 6-12. Kills by Champlin and Zach Rama made it 8-12. A Champlin / Genis / Ido David block sliced the gap to 14-16. A kill by Champlin made it 15-18, but GCU responded with a service run to go back up 16-23. A couple of Bruin errors and GCU took the set 17-25. The 'Lopes hit .538 for the frame.
David's consecutive kills lifted UCLA into a 10-6 lead to begin set four. Rama's swing put the Bruins up 11-7. McHenry fired off his third ace of the match for 14-9. David's kill was followed by Rama's solo block for 17-11. GCU responded with the next two points on a kill and its ninth ace of match. Rowan won a joust at the net for 18-13. GCU cut the margin to 18-15 before Champlin's kill put UCLA back in front by four. Rama's kill made it 20-16. The next two points went to the 'Lopes on back-to-back kills forcing a Bruin timeout. McHenry's kill was followed by a McHenry / Rama block for 22-18. David powered one cross court for 23-18 and Rama's kill gave the Bruins set point at 24-18. A GCU service error ended the set at 25-19. UCLA hit .593 for the frame.
GCU broke a 5-all tie with two straight points to go ahead 5-7 in set five. McHenry and Rowan teamed up for a block to make it 6-7. However, the next two points went to the 'Lopes for 6-9. Rama's back row kill cut the gap to 7-9. A GCU block and kill put GCU up 7-11. Rama's kill stopped the run for 8-12. David's attack went long and a GCU block made it 8-14. Two straight 'Lopes attack errors narrowed the gap to 10-14. A GCU kill ended the set and match at 10-15.