UCLA Beats Pepperdine for Final Four Berth

Who knew a trip to Fort Wayne, Ind., could generate this much excitement?

The UCLA men’s volleyball team can go ahead and book tickets to the NCAA Final Four by virtue of its 6-15, 15-11, 15-4, 15-9 victory over Pepperdine in the championship of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament Saturday at Pepperdine.

Reserve opposite hitter Ed Ratledge delivered 27 kills and the Bruins joined Ohio State and Penn State as automatic entries into the Final Four, which begins Thursday at Fort Wayne.

The Bruins (27-5), in danger of not making the NCAA tournament had they lost, will rest well after their postgame celebration.

“This is the only sure way to do it,” said Coach Al Scates, who has guided the Bruins to 17 NCAA championships. “It would make me nervous to have to wait for an at-large bid.”

Pepperdine (22-5) will find out this morning if it earns the lone at-large bid.

Most signs point to a yes for the Waves.

They defeated USC, another primary contender for the at-large berth, three times this season, including a four-game victory in the MPSF semifinals.

But the Waves must hope the three-person selection committee weighs the variables--strength of schedule, head-to-head performances, record against common opponents, to name a few--and decides in favor of Pepperdine.

“Either we’re in or we’re out, and we’re probably in,” Pepperdine Coach Jeff Stork said. “I think we’ve done the best we can to get the at-large bid. It’s unfortunate we lost tonight, but we played well through the course of the season.”

Andre Breuer had 27 kills and Scott Wong added 20 for Pepperdine, which lost to UCLA for the second time in three matches.

Ratledge, who entered midway through the first game, keyed the UCLA turnaround, getting 23 kills in the last three games.

Mark Williams had 17 kills for the Bruins, who outblocked Pepperdine, 21-14.