UCLA Stops Determined Northridge in 4 Games

This time, Cal State Northridge truly believed that it was ready to snap the UCLA volleyball jinx.

This time, the Matadors would not fold.

This time would be different, Northridge insisted.

But this time was like all the rest.

Northridge is still zero for UCLA.

The defending NCAA champion Bruins handed the Matadors another in what is becoming a long line of defeats, this time in four games Friday night at the John Wooden Center. The scores were 8-15, 15-12, 15-10, 15-11.

Northridge (6-6 overall, 4-4 in Western Intercollegiate Volleyball Assn. play), which defeated UCLA in a best-of-three exhibition tournament match last month, fell into third place in the WIVA DeGroot Division, a half-game behind idle Pepperdine.

UCLA (11-1) leads the division with a 7-1 record.

“They’re as good as everyone says they are, but we’re as good as everyone says we are too,” said Coley Kyman, who led CSUN with 24 kills and had a match-high .588 hitting percentage. “Our team played its heart out. I really didn’t want to lose to these guys.”

Early on, it appeared that CSUN might end its losing streak to the Bruins. The Matadors ran to a 14-5 lead in the first game and coasted to the win on their seventh game point when UCLA committed a net violation.

But the Bruins, who have won 13 national titles, bounced back as they always seem to do, grabbing the momentum in game two with a 15-12 win. Northridge trailed, 12-5, but tied the score, 12-12, before UCLA ran off the last three points.

In the pivotal third game, the Matadors jumped to a 4-0 lead, but UCLA scored seven consecutive points and assumed control. Northridge got as close as 11-9, but the Bruins won four of the next five points to take a 2-1 lead in games.

It was more of the same in the fourth game as UCLA, hitting at a match-best .407 percentage, broke to a 10-2 advantage and held off a late Matador charge. Northridge, hitting only .200 in the fourth game and .239 for the match, closed to within 13-11 before the Bruins pulled away again.

“It was a match of streaks,” Northridge Coach John Price said. “We didn’t execute as well as we’re able, and that’s what hurt us.”

Neil Coffman had 20 kills for Northridge but hit just .282 and was stymied by UCLA’s blockers in the late going, particularly by All-American Trevor Schirman, who had 15 stuff blocks.