LOS ANGELES – The No. 1 UCLA men's volleyball program earned a sixth sweep in seven matches to begin the 2026 season, taking down Vanguard, 3-0.
Sean Kelly led the Bruins with 16 kills and hit .500 on the night. Andrew Rowan paced the Bruins offense to a .381 hitting percentage and tallied 28 assists on the night.
The Bruins had a strong blocking performance on Tuesday, recording 17 total blocks, including three solo blocks. Luca Curci led the way with four block assists and a solo block on the night.
Three kills in a row from sophomore Sean Kelly pushed the Bruins out to a 7-4 advantage early on in the opening set. The Bruins went on a 3-0 run where Thorne added a kill before a Curci and Thorne combined for a block, which was followed by another block, this time a triple block by Curci, Wong Diallo, and David Decker pushed the Bruins in front 10-6.
UCLA closed the set on a 6-0 scoring run. Another 3-0 scoring run for the Bruins put UCLA up 22-17. Decker added two service aces, and the Lions hit an attack error to put the Bruins up five. That was followed by another mini 3-0 run as Kelly and Wong Diallo combined for a block, before an attack error from the Lions gave the Bruins the opening set, 25-17.
Vanguard pushed out to a 10-8 lead before the Bruins rattled off three straight points. Luca Curci tallied a kill before two attack errors from Vanguard put UCLA in front, 11-10.
Back-to-back kills from Kelly pushed UCLA's lead to three, 13-10, before a Wong Diallo ace made it 14-10 Bruins.
The Lions made it a 16-15 game before a service error from Vanguard gave UCLA the two-point buffer, 17-15.
A Curci solo block, followed by a Decker kill, got the Bruins to the 20-point plateau, before a Lions attack error made it 21-18 UCLA. The Bruins closed out the set from there, taking the second set 25-21, and a 2-0 sets lead.
As for the third set, the Bruins fell behind early, but utilized a 4-0 run to take a 14-12 lead halfway through. Christopher Hersh and Curci combined for the block to make it a 17-15 lead for the Bruins.
The Bruins continued to put the pressure on Vanguard and took a 23-20 advantage. Rowan then found Thorne two times in a row to end the match, giving the Bruins the set 25-20, and the match 3-0.
Up Next: The Bruins host No. 13 Ohio State on Thursday evening. First serve is set for 7 pm PT and the match will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
Sean Kelly led the Bruins with 16 kills and hit .500 on the night. Andrew Rowan paced the Bruins offense to a .381 hitting percentage and tallied 28 assists on the night.
The Bruins had a strong blocking performance on Tuesday, recording 17 total blocks, including three solo blocks. Luca Curci led the way with four block assists and a solo block on the night.
Three kills in a row from sophomore Sean Kelly pushed the Bruins out to a 7-4 advantage early on in the opening set. The Bruins went on a 3-0 run where Thorne added a kill before a Curci and Thorne combined for a block, which was followed by another block, this time a triple block by Curci, Wong Diallo, and David Decker pushed the Bruins in front 10-6.
UCLA closed the set on a 6-0 scoring run. Another 3-0 scoring run for the Bruins put UCLA up 22-17. Decker added two service aces, and the Lions hit an attack error to put the Bruins up five. That was followed by another mini 3-0 run as Kelly and Wong Diallo combined for a block, before an attack error from the Lions gave the Bruins the opening set, 25-17.
Vanguard pushed out to a 10-8 lead before the Bruins rattled off three straight points. Luca Curci tallied a kill before two attack errors from Vanguard put UCLA in front, 11-10.
Back-to-back kills from Kelly pushed UCLA's lead to three, 13-10, before a Wong Diallo ace made it 14-10 Bruins.
The Lions made it a 16-15 game before a service error from Vanguard gave UCLA the two-point buffer, 17-15.
A Curci solo block, followed by a Decker kill, got the Bruins to the 20-point plateau, before a Lions attack error made it 21-18 UCLA. The Bruins closed out the set from there, taking the second set 25-21, and a 2-0 sets lead.
As for the third set, the Bruins fell behind early, but utilized a 4-0 run to take a 14-12 lead halfway through. Christopher Hersh and Curci combined for the block to make it a 17-15 lead for the Bruins.
The Bruins continued to put the pressure on Vanguard and took a 23-20 advantage. Rowan then found Thorne two times in a row to end the match, giving the Bruins the set 25-20, and the match 3-0.
Up Next: The Bruins host No. 13 Ohio State on Thursday evening. First serve is set for 7 pm PT and the match will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.