#2 UCLA Quickly Defeats #7 UC-Irvine In A Straight Set Victory

Match Stats

• #2 UCLA def. #7 UC-Irvine 3-0, (25-16, 25-18, 25-22)
• UCLA (3-1), UC-Irvine (5-1)

The #2 ranked UCLA men’s volleyball team was able to sweep #7 UC-Irvine in their first MPSF conference match up.

Dominating the offense on the court was Daenan Gyimah with 14 kills, while setter Micah Ma’a added eight kills, three aces, 17 assists and seven digs.

For UC-Irvine, Michael Saeta put down seven kills, seven digs and dished out 17 assists. Tucker Pikula and David Parker each contributed five kills.

Press Release

Courtesy of UCLA Athletics

No. 2-ranked UCLA opened its MPSF schedule by handing No. 7 UC Irvine its first loss of the season in a sweep on Thursday night in Pauley Pavilion. Scores of the match were 25-16, 25-18, 25-22. The Bruins hit .395 for the match and were led by freshman middle blocker Daenan Gyimah‘s 14 kills. UCLA is now 3-1, 1-0 on the season. UCI falls to 5-1 and 2-1 in MPSF play. Next up for the Bruins is UC San Diego on Saturday night at 7 p.m. in Pauley.

In set one, UCLA opened up a 7-4 lead after a Micah Ma’a kill. UCI evened the score at 8-all. UCLA regained their edge for good at 12-11 on a Gyimah kill and then used a run of six straight points to run out to a 20-13 advantage behind the serve of Ma’a and a series of Irvine errors. UCLA closed out the set at 25-16 on a kill by JT Hatch. The Bruins hit .360 to Irvine’s .071 mark for the set.

UC Irvine moved to a 4-7 advantage in the second set. UCLA came back to even the score at 9-all on a block by Hatch and Gyimah. A Hatch kill handed the Bruins a 17-14 lead. Jake Arnitz‘ kill capped off a Bruin run for a 22-16 margin. A UCI service error ended the set at 25-18. UCLA hit .536 for the set with one error on 28 swings.

In set three, UCLA coasted to an 8-3 lead after a kill by Hagen Smith. UC Irvine fought back to level the score at 12-all and then 17-all. After the visitor’s grabbed the lead at 20-21, Gyimah’s kill and ace along with another kill by Smith pushed the Bruins out in front by 23-21. UCLA closed out the set at 25-22.

Gyimah hit .737 for the match and tallied a pair of aces and a couple of blocks. Ma’a registered his first three aces of the season and added eight kills (.800) to go with seven digs. Smith totaled 20 set assists and a couple of blocks. Jackson Bantle had seven digs. UCLA won the blocking battle 6.0 to 2.0 and out aced the ‘Eaters 7-2 for the match.