Pepperdine’s Top Weapon Will Be No Secret to UCLA

There is no argument about Pepperdine senior Sean Rooney’s being the best male college volleyball player this season, but that doesn’t mean UCLA is going to let him dominate in tonight’s NCAA championship match at Pauley Pavilion.

UCLA Coach Al Scates said this wasn’t comparable to basketball, where the Bruins would let Rooney get his points and focus on stopping everyone else. The Waves’ big-hitting national player of the year, he said, has to be controlled.

“What you have to do with him is pick up his off-speed shots,” Scates said. “When he’s in a perfect rhythm, you don’t stop him. It will be a lot easier to shut down their other players. But we’re not going to stand there and let Rooney get his kills, obviously. We’ll contest every swing he makes.”

Rooney had 19 kills and the Waves were again impressive in a 30-16, 31-29, 30-26 semifinal victory Thursday over Ohio State, running their record to 24-2. But UCLA (26-5) played its best match in recent weeks, beating Penn State, 30-20, 30-24, 30-27.

Long known to play hunches and substitute freely during matches over his 43-year career, Scates started Brennan Prahler for only the seventh time this season. Prahler, a fifth-year senior, responded with a team-high 16 kills, one short of his career best.

Said Penn State Coach Mark Pavlik, assessing Scates’ maneuvers: “I felt like I’ve joined a group of coaches over the last 40 years that were taken out behind the woodshed and just got whipped.”

Pepperdine Coach Marv Dunphy, himself widely respected, said he’d come to expect the unexpected from the Bruin coach.

“Al has started and played different guys all year,” Dunphy said. “That wouldn’t surprise me.”

UCLA, an 18-time champion, and Pepperdine have met for the NCAA title five previous times, the Waves winning only in 1978. The teams split two matches this season.

The service game may be crucial, Scates said, because a three-point run often decides a game in the rally-scoring format. Penn State struggled mightily in handling UCLA’s hard jump serves, but Rooney could neutralize that advantage.

“I know that most of the guys on [our] team can really bring it,” UCLA senior Kris Kraushaar said. “[Rooney] is right up there.”