Feb. 6, 2009

Box Score

Los Angeles, Calif. - Despite a quick start and a strong overall effort, the Pacific men's volleyball team suffered a 3-1 loss to No. 8 UCLA in historic Pauley Pavilion on Friday, Feb. 6. The loss dropped the Tigers to 2-9 on the season and 0-6 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF), while UCLA moved to 6-5 overall and 4-3 in conference play.

Set scores for the match were: 25-30, 30-22, 30-25 and 30-16

Down 4-3 early in the opening set, Pacific set the tone they wanted with a quick 4-1 run to take a 7-5 lead. It was the Tigers' defense putting their mark on the set as Pacific forced UCLA in three errors, while freshman Sean Daley (Moorpark, Calif.) capped Pacific's run with his first kill. The Bruins pulled even at 7-7, but tied again at 8-8, the Tigers took the lead for good behind four straight points. Senior Clay Ostrander (Wheaton, Ill.) got Pacific rolling via a cross-court kill, then junior Mark Bauhs (Danville, Calif.) made his mark. A sharp serve from Bauhs forced UCLA in its fourth attack error of the set, then Bauhs found junior Jason Borchin (Roseville, Calif.) and senior Joe Forbes (Westport, Conn.) on consecutive plays to push the Pacific lead to 12-8 and force a UCLA timeout.

Coming out of the break, the two squads traded points to bring the score to 14-10. The combination of a Bruin service error, followed by a Forbes ace pushed Pacific's advantage to six points at 16-10. With the Tigers edge still at six moments later, Forbes posted a solo block, then teamed with Ostrander on the ensuing point to give Pacific a 22-14 lead. The Tigers went on to capture the opening set, 30-25, led by five kills from Ostrander and a defensive effort that limited UCLA to a hitting percentage of just .167 (18 kills and 11 errors on 42 attempts). The Tigers finished the set with 11 kills and three errors on 35 swings for a .229 average.

As any strong team will do, UCLA responded to the Tigers effort in the second set. The Bruins corrected their hitting woes in set number two, posting a .357 hitting percentage with 13 kills and just three errors on 28 swings. Pacific, meanwhile struggled with 13 kills and eight errors on 33 attempts for a .152 average. UCLA claimed the set, 30-22, led by a combined nine kills and just one error on 16 attempts (.500) from the duo of Sean O'Malley and Jack Polales.

Knotted at one set each, Pacific and UCLA remained neck and neck well into the third frame as the two team fought through 12 ties, bringing the score to 16-16. At this point the Tigers stepped forwards again behind a quartet of points. Forbes got things going with a quick kill in the middle, then Borchin notched back-to-back kills from the outside, then Bauhs punctuated the run with a solo block on the left side to give Pacific a 20-16 lead. The Tigers held the same lead moments later at 22-18, but UCLA began to climb back. The Bruins notched consecutive kills in the middle to half Pacific's lead at 22-20. With Pacific leading 24-22, UCLA took complete control of the set behind six straight points, keyed by three kills from O'Malley, to take a 28-24 edge. UCLA went on to take the third set, 30-25.

Unfortunately the momentum of UCLA's rally and the sting of letting a late lead in the third set get away, carried into the fourth set for Pacific. The Tigers quickly found themselves down 10-5 and trailed by as many as 14. UCLA went on to take the set and the match with a 30-16 victory.

Ostrander led the Tigers with 16 kills and a .345 hitting percentage, while Borchin posted 11 kills and a .333 average.

Polales finished with a match-high 19 kills and a .455 hitting percentage, while O'Malley had 17 kills and a .469 average.

The Tigers will be back in action on Saturday, Feb. 7 as Pacific concludes their two-match road trip against No. 3 UC Irvine at 7 p.m.