Sunday, January 18
Phoenix, Ariz.
6:00 pm (PT)
UCLA
4-0,1-0MPSF
3
vs
0
No. 6 Loyola Chicago
2-2,0-0MIVA
1
2
3
F
Loyola Chicago
23
19
24
0
UCLA
25
25
26
3
Rama Leads No. 1 UCLA in Sweep of No. 6 Loyola Chicago, 3-0
January 18, 2026 | Men's Volleyball
PHOENIX, Ariz. โ The No. 1 UCLA men's volleyball program earned a fourth win in a row to begin the 2026 season on Sunday, taking down No. 6 Loyola Chicago in straight sets, 3-0. Set scores were 25-23, 25-19, and 26-24.
Zach Rama led the way for the Bruins (4-0, 1-0 MPSF) with a career-high 23 kills in the straight-sets win. The senior hit .618 on the night, and added five digs in the win.
As a team, the Bruins hit .506 as setter Andrew Rowan dished out 44 assists in the win. Defensively, for the Bruins, David Decker and Sean Kelly both finished with a game-high seven digs.
For Loyola Chicago (2-2, 0-0 MIVA), Aleksander Sosa paced the attack with 11 kills on 30 swings.
The Bruins opened the first set with a huge kill from Kelly and an ace from Rowan to take a quick 2-0 lead. Loyola then battled back to even the set at 7-7. After the Ramblers took a 12-8 lead, the Bruins tied it back up at 13-13 through kills by Kelly and Rama. Rama then put the Bruins up 14-13 with a kill off the Loyola block.
Rama then capped a 4-0 run for the Bruins to put UCLA up 15-13 with his fifth kill of the set. A Loyola service error pushed the Bruins up 19-17, before the Ramblers won three of the next four points to tie the opening set at 20-20.
A kill by Rama and a serve from Kelly that forced a bad pass pushed the Bruins up 22-20. Loyola tied the set at 22-22, before a service error from the Ramblers and a swing out of bounds put UCLA at set point, 24-23. Rama then ended the first set with his eighth kill of the night, earning the set one win 25-23.
As for the second set Cameron Thorne put the Bruins up 3-0. A block by Thorne and two kills by Kelly pushed UCLA out to a five-point advantage, 7-2, forcing a Loyola timeout.
Loyola clawed their way back in and made it a 10-7 UCLA advantage before Kelly slammed home a cross-court kill to make it a 11-7 lead for the Bruins. Decker, who had a career-high 22 kills in the win over Ball State on Saturday, pushed UCLA's lead to 15-13 with his second kill of the night. A Kelly block and an attack error from Loyola made it a 17-13 advantage for the Bruins.
ย Rama recorded his 12th kill of the night on his 16th swing, before another Decker cross-court kill put UCLA up 20-14. With Trent Taliaferro serving, Rama recorded his 14th kill, pushing UCLA up 23-18. Rowan then found Rama for the kill to take the second set, 25-19, giving UCLA a 2-0 sets advantage.
The sides traded points to open the third set, as the squads were knotted up at 9-9 early on in the set. A Kelly kill, and a Decker ace pushed the Bruins in front by two, 14-12 to cap a 3-0 scoring run.
Rama's 21st kill of the night put the Bruins up 21-19. The Ramblers responded with a 4-2 run to tie the set at 23-23, before a Kelly kill made it a 24-23 lead and match point for the Bruins.
A service error from the Bruins re-tied the set, before Rama's career-high 22nd kill of the night pushed the Bruins up 25-24. Rowan found him again for his 23rd kill of the match to take the set, 26-24, and the match 3-0.
ย Up Next: The Bruins return to Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial on Thursday to take on Fort Valley State. First serve is set for 7:00 pm PT, and the match will be broadcast on B1G+.
Zach Rama led the way for the Bruins (4-0, 1-0 MPSF) with a career-high 23 kills in the straight-sets win. The senior hit .618 on the night, and added five digs in the win.
As a team, the Bruins hit .506 as setter Andrew Rowan dished out 44 assists in the win. Defensively, for the Bruins, David Decker and Sean Kelly both finished with a game-high seven digs.
For Loyola Chicago (2-2, 0-0 MIVA), Aleksander Sosa paced the attack with 11 kills on 30 swings.
The Bruins opened the first set with a huge kill from Kelly and an ace from Rowan to take a quick 2-0 lead. Loyola then battled back to even the set at 7-7. After the Ramblers took a 12-8 lead, the Bruins tied it back up at 13-13 through kills by Kelly and Rama. Rama then put the Bruins up 14-13 with a kill off the Loyola block.
Rama then capped a 4-0 run for the Bruins to put UCLA up 15-13 with his fifth kill of the set. A Loyola service error pushed the Bruins up 19-17, before the Ramblers won three of the next four points to tie the opening set at 20-20.
A kill by Rama and a serve from Kelly that forced a bad pass pushed the Bruins up 22-20. Loyola tied the set at 22-22, before a service error from the Ramblers and a swing out of bounds put UCLA at set point, 24-23. Rama then ended the first set with his eighth kill of the night, earning the set one win 25-23.
As for the second set Cameron Thorne put the Bruins up 3-0. A block by Thorne and two kills by Kelly pushed UCLA out to a five-point advantage, 7-2, forcing a Loyola timeout.
Loyola clawed their way back in and made it a 10-7 UCLA advantage before Kelly slammed home a cross-court kill to make it a 11-7 lead for the Bruins. Decker, who had a career-high 22 kills in the win over Ball State on Saturday, pushed UCLA's lead to 15-13 with his second kill of the night. A Kelly block and an attack error from Loyola made it a 17-13 advantage for the Bruins.
ย Rama recorded his 12th kill of the night on his 16th swing, before another Decker cross-court kill put UCLA up 20-14. With Trent Taliaferro serving, Rama recorded his 14th kill, pushing UCLA up 23-18. Rowan then found Rama for the kill to take the second set, 25-19, giving UCLA a 2-0 sets advantage.
The sides traded points to open the third set, as the squads were knotted up at 9-9 early on in the set. A Kelly kill, and a Decker ace pushed the Bruins in front by two, 14-12 to cap a 3-0 scoring run.
Rama's 21st kill of the night put the Bruins up 21-19. The Ramblers responded with a 4-2 run to tie the set at 23-23, before a Kelly kill made it a 24-23 lead and match point for the Bruins.
A service error from the Bruins re-tied the set, before Rama's career-high 22nd kill of the night pushed the Bruins up 25-24. Rowan found him again for his 23rd kill of the match to take the set, 26-24, and the match 3-0.
ย Up Next: The Bruins return to Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial on Thursday to take on Fort Valley State. First serve is set for 7:00 pm PT, and the match will be broadcast on B1G+.
Team Stats
Loyola
UCLA
Kills
34
49
Errors
7
9
Attempts
80
79
Hitting %
.338
.506
Points
44.0
53.0
Assists
29
48
Aces
7
2
Blocks
3
2
Game Leaders
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
5
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Players Mentioned
Opp
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