CSUN Makes Itself at Home in Volleyball Win at UCLA

For the first time in Cal State Northridge men’s volleyball history, the Matadors know the feeling of winning at UCLA.

Even so, the 15-10, 6-15, 15-13, 15-13 victory by the sixth-ranked Matadors over the fourth-ranked Bruins didn’t quite feel like it was earned in foreign territory.

“With the following we had here it seemed like we were at Northridge,” Matador middle blocker Ken Lynch said of the hundreds of Matador fans among the crowd of 1,202 Friday night at the John Wooden Center.

It was Northridge’s second non-tournament win over UCLA, winner of 13 NCAA titles, since the Matadors joined the Western Intercollegiate Volleyball Assn. in 1983.

“It’s great to beat UCLA because they have an aura about them, that they are winners,” Northridge outside hitter Mike Mesnik said. “Maybe things are changing. Maybe UCLA is not at the top anymore. Maybe we’re up there with them.”

Northridge Coach John Price was beaming afterward for several reasons: wins against UCLA are rare, much less on the road. Moreover, it’s important in the WIVA standings because the Bruins are the team to beat in the Matadors’ DeGroot Division.

“I think there were three major things,” Price said. “Our serving, the (Northridge) crowd and our substitutes.”

With Lynch’s 33 kills and reserves Mesnik, Gary Reznick and Jamal Thompson providing a spark, the Matadors improved to 6-5, 1-1 in the WIVA.

UCLA (5-4, 3-3) hurt itself with hitting errors, a .299 percentage compared to Northridge’s .329.

“We had plenty of court, we just didn’t hit into it,” UCLA Coach Al Scates said.

Northridge took a 2-1 lead in games going into the decisive fourth game, but the Bruins jumped out to leads of 3-0 and 8-4.

Northridge gradually closed the gap at 9-6 and then caught fire with a kill by Axel Hagar and consecutive service aces by Mesnik for a 9-9 tie.

“The servers before me set them up by serving deep,” Mesnik said.

The Matadors pulled ahead, 13-10, on a block by Coley Kyman, a kill by Lynch and a service ace by Hagar, but UCLA rallied for a 13-13 tie.

Northridge scored its 14th point in scrambling style. Lynch made a diving dig to keep it alive, Thompson and Reznick made one key block and Thompson and Hagar made the point-winning block.

“All night I was looking for a great dig,” Lynch said. “I thought I was struggling defensively and to make a dig like that in a pressure situation is even more pleasing.”

After a pair of sideouts, Northridge won it on a long hit by UCLA.

Hagar finished with 13 kills and Kyman made 11 and a team-high 11 digs.