CSUN Can’t Climb Over No. 1 UCLA

The Cal State Northridge men’s volleyball team was on the rise before Friday night’s match against top-ranked UCLA.

The Matadors climbed to No. 3 in the national rankings by going undefeated against higher-ranked opponents in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.

But the Bruins put an end to CSUN’s four-match winning streak with a 15-4, 15-9, 15-7 rout in front of 2,175 rowdy fans at the Matador gym.

“I really don’t know what happened here tonight,” CSUN Coach John Price said. “They did things they haven’t done all year.”

UCLA (6-0, 4-0) took over first place in the conference’s Mountain Division.

The Bruins, finalists at last year’s NCAA championships, were simply more consistent and powerful than the Matadors (4-2, 4-1).

“I really expected five (games) tonight,” UCLA Coach Al Scates said. “I was really surprised to see it go this way.”

Price believes his team’s problem was mental, not physical.

“I think (the team) felt the pressure,” he said. “I mean we’re not the first team that looks silly against UCLA, but we were completely off tonight. It was a big (match) and they’re not used to that.”

The Bruins took a 10-3 lead and simply dominated until the end of the first game, which John Speraw finished with a cross-court shot.

CSUN came alive in the second game and took its only lead of the match, 8-7. But the Matadors managed only one more point.

The Bruins seized a 6-0 lead in the final game, though at 8-2 Jason Hughes gave CSUN hope by serving for four consecutive points.

But UCLA broke away with a 7-1 run to seal the game. The Matadors’ Oliver Heitmann, who had 13 kills, hit a shot out from the front row on match point.

UCLA’s Paul Nihipali had 16 kills.