No. 1 UCLA Beats UC Merced 3-1

Friday, April 10

Merced, CA

6:00 pm (PT)

UCLA

23-1,10-1MPSFMVB

UC Merced

4-16,1-11MPSFMVB

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
UCLA	23	25	25	25	3
UC Merced	25	19	21	19	1

No. 1 UCLA Beats UC Merced 3-1

April 10, 2026 | Men's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

MERCED, Calif. – The UCLA men's volleyball program earned a 3-1 win at UC Merced on Friday evening. Set scores were 23-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-19.

After dropping the opening set, the Bruins rallied to win the next three to claim the win. For the night, UCLA (23-1, 10-1 MPSF) hit .351, while limiting UC Merced (4-16, 1-9 MPSF) to .217.

Andrew Rowan dished out 40 assists to pace the offense, while David Decker led all Bruins with 14 kills on 18 swings.

UCLA changed up the starting lineup on Friday, as Trent Taliaferro, Caleb Sapp, Jaidin Rusell, Brogan Glenn, Luca Curci, Grayson Bradford, and Filippos Chrysostomu all earned starts.

In the opening set, the Bruins trailed 5-4 before rattling off four points in a row to take an 8-5 lead. During that run Bradford recorded a kill, Sapp added an ace, before Russell and Curci combined for a block.

UC Merced battled back and took a 19-16 before back-to-back kills from Chrysostomou got the Bruins within one, 19-18. UCLA then closed the gap to 23-22 when Curci hammered one home.

Unfortunately for the Bruins, they could not close the gap and Merced took the opening set, 25-23.

UCLA brought in its normal starting lineup in the second set as Decker, Chris Connelly, Rowan, Zach Rama, Sean Kelly, Micah Wong Diallo, and Cameron Thorne all came in to the match.

The Bruins raced out to an 8-4 advantage to begin the second set. Decker recorded multiple service aces during the run, while Rowan and Kelly added a kill each.

UCLA pushed in front by four, 16-12 when Thorne slammed home a kill. UC Merced responded and made it an 18-17 game in favor of the Bruins. Wong Diallo then added a kill to make it 19-17.

Kelly tagged one off the block to put UCLA up 22-19. UCLA then rattled off three points in a row to take the second set, 25-19, as Rama recorded an ace to take the set.

As for the third set, UCLA opened up an 8-5 advantage. UC Merced responded with a 3-0 run to tie the set at 8-8.

UCLA took six of the next eight points to open up a 14-10 lead midway through the set. Decker tallied four kills during that run.

Rama and Decker each recorded kills to make it 20-14 in favor of the Bruins. UCLA then closed out the set, winning it 25-21.

In the fourth set, UCLA opened up a 3-1 advantage early on as Decker recorded an ace and a kill to put the Bruins up a pair.

UCLA made it 10-6 midway through the set as Thorne and Decker recorded kills. Decker continued his strong set to make it 11-7 in favor of the Bruins with his 12th kill of the night.

Back-to-back kills from Wong Diallo made it 24-18 in favor of UCLA before a Bobcats service error gave the Bruins the fourth set, 25-19, and the match 3-1.

Up Next: UCLA returns to action on Sunday, playing at Menlo College. First serve is set for 2 pm PT and the match will be broadcast on B1G+.