Springfield or bust: Bruins off to Final Four

Monday, May 1, 1995

Springfield or bust: Bruins off to Final Four

Volleyball headed for third Final Four in four years, Sullivan leads win over UH with 21 kills

By Eric Branch

Daily Bruin Senior Staff

Supposedly, Saturday night's Mountain Pacific Sports Federation playoff final between the No. 1 UCLA men's volleyball team and No. 2 Hawaii really didn't mean anything. However, someone forgot to tell Erik Sullivan about the match's relevance.

Playing in his final match in Pauley Pavilion, UCLA's senior captain led the Bruins to an emotionally charged 12-15, 15-13, 15-7, 15-5 victory over the Rainbows (19-6 overall) to give UCLA (29-1) an automatic berth to next weekend's NCAA Final Four in Springfield, Mass.

Because the loser of the match was almost assured of gaining the at-large invitation to the Final Four, at most the match merely determined seedings for the tournament. With this knowledge the Bruins seemingly played the first game as if they didn't care who they played in Springfield.

"We weren't really thinking too much with our heads," senior quick hitter Jeff Nygaard said. "We weren't executing, we were just out there jumping around."

After the Rainbows rallied to close out the opening frame behind five consecutive jump serves from quick hitter Jason Olive (21 kills), the Bruins fell behind 12-8 in game two. The Hawaii attack, which hit .392 in the first two games, was giving the nation's top team the strange look of a loser.

"We were walking around looking like we were losing," UCLA head coach Al Scates said. "I don't care if you're losing or not ­ at least look like you're winning. There was a lot of talk in the huddle between various guys, and we decided that would be a hell of a good idea."

With their new sunny dispositions UCLA reeled off seven of the game's next eight points, sparked by four kills by Nygaard and the fire of Sullivan.

Sullivan began exhorting the normally docile Bruin faithful with a bevy of fist pumps, primal screams and high fives in the second game. At the close of game three the senior swing hitter jumped on the press table and celebrated with the crowd, stopping just short of pulling out a bullhorn and screaming the fight song.

"We were down in the second game and I was thinking 'Oh my God, they're blowing us out of the gym,'" Sullivan said. "Then I looked at the scoreboard and realized we were right in it. I was just trying to help us step it up."

However, on the night Sullivan proved to be something more than a cheerleader, blasting 21 kills, 12 digs and a scorching .741 hitting percentage. Nygaard added 23 kills and opposite Paul Nihipali threw down 26 to lead the Bruins.

"It's tough to contain that offense," UH head coach Mike Wilton said. "You can't concentrate on one hitter. If you do, you're dead."

Up 14-7 with game point in the third game, an awe-inspiring Nygaard roof almost singlehandedly caused the Rainbows to roll over and play dead. Nygaard aborted UH swing hitter Sean Scott's would-be kill in mid swing, sending Scott to the floor, Sullivan to the press table and a smile to Nygaard's face.

"I like to see Jeff break out in a smile," Scates said. "He didn't smile for the first four years he was in the program. But now and then he'll break out with a smile after he gets a roof like that. It's great to see."

After the emphatic ending to game three, Wilton all but raced on the court waving a white towel, removing go-to hitters Olive and Yuval Katz (match-high 27 kills). Not surprisingly UCLA breezed in the final game, hitting .583 (15 kills, one error).

"It feels good to get back in the Final Four but it's really not much of an accomplishment," Sullivan said. "We haven't accomplished our goal."

* * *

The Bruins advanced to Saturday's final with a swift 15-3, 15-4, 15-5, 58-minute thrashing of No. 5 BYU (14-8) in the MPSF semifinals.

Nihipali led the attack with 13 kills as UCLA convincingly outhit (.387 hitting percentage to .000) and outserved (eight aces to two) the Cougars. Junior setter Stein Metzger served up a match-high four aces.

"We just put BYU in a world of hurt with our jump serving," Scates said.

* * *

The Final Four pairings were announced Sunday and UCLA will play No. 6 Ball State (24-8) Friday night in the NCAA semifinals. The Cardinals are the only team to defeat UCLA this season, sweeping them March 3 at the Springfield tournament. The winner of the match will play the winner of the other semifinal between Hawaii and No. 3 Penn State (25-3) for the national championship on Saturday night.