Friday, January 9
7:00 pm (PT)
UCLA
1-0,0-0MPSF
3
vs
0
No. 15 McKendree
0-1,0-0MIVA
1
2
3
F
McKendree
16
18
22
0
UCLA
25
25
25
3
Photo by: Mac Brown
No. 1 UCLA Sweeps No. 15 McKendree, 3-0
January 09, 2026 | Men's Volleyball
LOS ANGELES โ The No. 1 UCLA men's volleyball team earned a 3-0 sweep of No. 15 McKendree to open the 2026 season on Friday evening inside Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Set scores on Friday were 25-16, 25-18, and 25-22.
Zach Rama led the way with 16 kills and hit .500 on the night for UCLA. Andrew Rowan contributed three service aces and 42 of the 45 Bruin assists. Cameron Thorne recorded five blocks and seven kills on nine attacks, while Micah Wong Diallo had a team-high kill percentage of .833, with five kills on six attacks. Newcomer Christopher Connelly had a match-high nine digs at libero for the Bruins.
As a team the Bruins (1-0, 0-0 MPSF) hit .533 on the night, and limited McKendree (0-1, 0-0 MIVA) to just a .194 hitting percentage. The Bruins tallied 46 kills and six aces, while McKendree had 27 kills and three aces on the night.
The Bruins came out firing on Friday, opening the first set on a 17-9 run to take command of the set early. Senior setter Andrew Rowan rattled off two service aces to put the Bruins up 6-2, before two Sean Kelly kills pushed the Bruin advantaged to 15-7. Rama hammered home two kills in a row to make it a 20-10 UCLA advantage before a Decker kill gave the Bruins set one, 25-16.
In the second set the Bruins continued to hit well offensively. UCLA as a team hit .516 as a team in the second set, as Rama led the way going a perfect 8-for-8 in the set. Rama, who finished the night with 6 kills also had a service ace in the set. UCLA opened up a 15-11 advantage courtesy of Rama before Decker made it 22-17 with a swing from the outside. The Bruins then ended the set on a 3-0 run with kills from Kelly, Rama and Micah Wong Diallo to take the second set 25-18.
As for the third set, the Bruins hit .423 as a squad with Rama and Kelly both tallying four kills in the set. Cameron Thorne also added three block assists as the Bruins recorded 4.5 blocks in the set. A Wong Diallo service ace put the Bruins up 15-11 before a Kelly kill pushed the Bruins up five, 20-15. A McKendree run made in 24-22 before Rama clinched the match with his match-high 16th kill of the night, earning UCLA the 25-22 set three win and the match 3-0.
Up Next: UCLA returns to action on Sunday evening, hosting Concordia University. First serve is set for 5:00 pm PT and the match will be broadcast on B1G+.
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Zach Rama led the way with 16 kills and hit .500 on the night for UCLA. Andrew Rowan contributed three service aces and 42 of the 45 Bruin assists. Cameron Thorne recorded five blocks and seven kills on nine attacks, while Micah Wong Diallo had a team-high kill percentage of .833, with five kills on six attacks. Newcomer Christopher Connelly had a match-high nine digs at libero for the Bruins.
As a team the Bruins (1-0, 0-0 MPSF) hit .533 on the night, and limited McKendree (0-1, 0-0 MIVA) to just a .194 hitting percentage. The Bruins tallied 46 kills and six aces, while McKendree had 27 kills and three aces on the night.
The Bruins came out firing on Friday, opening the first set on a 17-9 run to take command of the set early. Senior setter Andrew Rowan rattled off two service aces to put the Bruins up 6-2, before two Sean Kelly kills pushed the Bruin advantaged to 15-7. Rama hammered home two kills in a row to make it a 20-10 UCLA advantage before a Decker kill gave the Bruins set one, 25-16.
In the second set the Bruins continued to hit well offensively. UCLA as a team hit .516 as a team in the second set, as Rama led the way going a perfect 8-for-8 in the set. Rama, who finished the night with 6 kills also had a service ace in the set. UCLA opened up a 15-11 advantage courtesy of Rama before Decker made it 22-17 with a swing from the outside. The Bruins then ended the set on a 3-0 run with kills from Kelly, Rama and Micah Wong Diallo to take the second set 25-18.
As for the third set, the Bruins hit .423 as a squad with Rama and Kelly both tallying four kills in the set. Cameron Thorne also added three block assists as the Bruins recorded 4.5 blocks in the set. A Wong Diallo service ace put the Bruins up 15-11 before a Kelly kill pushed the Bruins up five, 20-15. A McKendree run made in 24-22 before Rama clinched the match with his match-high 16th kill of the night, earning UCLA the 25-22 set three win and the match 3-0.
Up Next: UCLA returns to action on Sunday evening, hosting Concordia University. First serve is set for 5:00 pm PT and the match will be broadcast on B1G+.
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Team Stats
McK
UCLA
Kills
27
46
Errors
14
6
Attempts
67
75
Hitting %
.194
.533
Points
35.5
59.5
Assists
26
45
Aces
3
6
Blocks
5.5
7.5
Game Leaders
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
7
Aces
1
Blocks
5
Players Mentioned
L
/ Men's VolleyballOH
/ Men's Volleyball
S
/ Men's VolleyballMB
/ Men's Volleyball
MB
/ Men's VolleyballHighlights - No. 1 UCLA M. Volleyball vs. Concordia (Jan. 11, 2026)
Monday, January 12
Highlights - No. 1 UCLA M. Volleyball vs. No. 15 McKendree (Jan. 9, 2026)
Saturday, January 10
Highlights - Men's Volleyball vs. Hawai'i, NCAA Semifinals (May 10, 2025)
Sunday, May 11
Highlights - Men's Volleyball vs. Belmont Abbey, NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals (May 8, 2025)
Thursday, May 08