Brigham Young Blocks UCLA’s Bid for Title

UCLA found its path to another NCAA men’s volleyball title blocked . . . and blocked . . . and blocked again.

Brigham Young did the honors, frustrating the Bruins at key points with its front-row play and taking charge at all the right moments in a 30-26, 30-26, 32-30 victory at the Pyramid in Long Beach on Saturday.

The defeat was not all that unexpected. BYU (23-4) was ranked No. 1 longer than any team this season and was the most consistent team in the nation.

“They’re the best team in college volleyball,” UCLA Coach Al Scates said. “I voted for them for No. 1 last week.”

But for everything they accomplished this season, the Cougars knew it mattered little when it comes to facing UCLA in an NCAA championship match.

The Bruins (24-8) not only have won 18 NCAA titles--the Cougars now have won two--but their intimidation could readily be found in the array of imposing tournament statistics. Only five losses in 54 matches. An 18-4 record in title matches. A 28-6 record against the Cougars.

Outside hitter Mike Wall eventually got tired of reading about it.

“I was reading through that little NCAA booklet and I saw their record,” said Wall, who led the Cougars with 16 kills and was named the tournament’s most outstanding player. “I didn’t want to read that anymore. I wonder how many times they won the NCAA title just by intimidation alone.

“We were real confident [today] and yesterday. We didn’t care what their record was. We beat them this year and we knew we could beat them tonight.”

One person among the 4,807 in attendance held up a sign that said “The Great Wall of BYU.” It could have referred to the Cougars’ talented hitter or just as easily to the abilities of the Cougars at the net.

BYU had 14 1/2 team blocks to the Bruins’ three. Even though the Cougars were a shade shorter along the front line, the 6-foot-5 Scott Bunker and 6-9 Mac Wilson teamed for two solo blocks and assisted on 11 others.

It was a team effort. BYU forced UCLA to hit the ball 27 more times. On one hand, it gave the Bruins that many more opportunities to convert, but it also increased the possibility for committing errors, and they had 22.

“We can block so well,” BYU’s Puerto Rico-born setter Hector Lebron said. “We didn’t shut their middle but we can shut the outside. It’s amazing.”

Scates said that was the difference.

“We got a lot of digs tonight, but we couldn’t put them away and convert,” he said. “We had 27 extra swings and couldn’t take advantage.

“Scott Bunker is the best blocker in the nation. He is better than anyone on the national team right now.”

Those challenges came at critical stages of each game. Wall had a block to finish off a three-point run for a 25-22 advantage and sparked a four-point, game-ending run with an ace after UCLA tied it at 26-26.

In a back-and-forth second game, Bunker had consecutive blocks on Scott Morrow that kept the ball alive and Lebron finished the play with a quick kill for a 28-25 lead. Joaquin Acosta’s ace put BYU up 2-0 in games. .

UCLA made a stand in the third game and forged a 28-27 lead on a kill by Morrow, but Wall had consecutive kills, the latter on a ball libero Fernando Pessoa kept alive with a dig.

On the Cougars’ third match point, Acosta blocked setter Rich Nelson’s quick kill attempt, sending BYU and its sizable contingent into a frenzy.

“To tell you the truth, I was actually jumping on the middle [hitter] and I was fortunate to be early, and he basically threw it right at me,” Acosta said. “I wasn’t expecting him to dump it.”

UCLA was led by middle blocker Adam Naeve with 16 kills and Morrow with 12. However, Matt Komer, who had 12 kills, was the only outside hitter who had a solid match.

Meanwhile, BYU got a surprising performance off the bench from 6-1 sophomore Luka Slabe. He hit .667 for the match with eight kills and no errors on 12 swings.

Overall, the Cougars outhit UCLA, .372 to .310, and added five service aces for good measure.

BYU’s victory marked the only time UCLA has been swept in a title match, and that stung Scates, even as he commended his team for getting to this point.

“Sure, it hurts being swept,” he said. “But you win or you lose.”

For BYU, which added a bookend title to its 1999 championship, this one was particularly sweet.

“It’s of course wonderful to win,” Coach Carl McGown said. “Especially, I suppose, when you get to do it against the team that everyone measures themselves against.”