UCLA Men's Volleyball Evens Series with Southern Cal; Rubber Match Tonight
UCLA Men's Volleyball Evens Series with Southern Cal; Rubber Match Tonight
The Bruins evened up the series with the Trojans in four sets last night at the Galen Center.
The UCLA men’s volleyball travels across town tonight again for their third consecutive match against Southern Cal. The Trojans took the first match at Pauley Pavilion last Saturday. Then, last night, the Bruins took the second at the Galen Center. Tonight’s rubber match will also be at the Galen Center at 5 pm.
Last Time Out
After losing last Saturday in four sets, the Bruins returned the favor last night by beating the Trojans in four sets, 25-23, 25-20, 27-29, 25-21.
Southern Cal opened the match by winning four of the first five points and five of the first eight. The Bruins rebounds by going on a 7-2 run to take a 10-7 lead. Despite that, the teams were tied at 16-16 when UCLA scored on three consecutive points. Soon, the Bruins had their first set point at 24-20. After Southern Cal fought off three consecutive set points, UCLA got the kill that they needed from Ethan Champlin to win the set 25-23.
The Trojans only led twice in the second set. Once was after scoring the set’s first point. The second was following an Austin Matautia kill which had tied the set, 1-1. UCLA scored on four of the next five points, taking a 5-3 lead and they never looked back as the Bruins went on to win the second set, 25-20.
After the break, neither team led by more than two points during the first 29 points. Then, with Southern Cal ahead 15-14, the Trojans went on a quick three-point run which put them ahead, 18-14. The Bruins scored on six of the next eight points and the set was tied 20-20. At 22-22, the Trojans managed to score on consecutive points to force a set point, but UCLA fought off set point twice to tie it at 24-24. The Bruins even had their first match point after winning three of the next five points, but Southern Cal scored the next three points to take this set, 29-27.
The Trojans led for most of the fourth set. In fact, UCLA didn’t take their first lead until the score was 19-18. Even then, it didn’t last long as Southern Cal tied it up on the next point and the teams split the next two points after that. Then, with the set tied 20-20, the Bruins went on a 4-1 run to finish off the set and the Trojans, 25-21 and 3-1.
Tonight, the teams meet in the rubber match of this three-match series beginning at 5 pm PT. The match isn’t televised, but it will stream on Pac-12.com and the Pac-12 Now app.
Who will win tonight? Well, the visitors have won each of the previous two meetings and Southern Cal is the home team tonight. So…..
This is your UCLA vs. Southern Cal men’s volleyball open thread.
#7 UCLA Men’s Volleyball (3-2)
Opponent: Southern Cal Trojans (1-1)
When: 5:00 pm PT, Saturday, February 20, 2021
Where: Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA
TV: None
Live Stream: Pac-12.com and the Pac-12 Now app
Live Stats: Southern Cal Side Arm Stats
Match Notes
Go Bruins!
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