Forget all the other “rivalries” the UCLA men’s volleyball team has with teams such as Hawai’i and Brigham Young University.
The Bruins want to win tonight’s game against the Trojans more than anything.
This is the real thing.
UCLA (5-4, 1-2 MPSF) will be coming out in full force tonight in hopes of extending its 12-match winning streak against crosstown foe USC (4-4, 3-2) in USC’s North Gym.
The No. 5 Bruins are coming off an emotionally draining two-game split against the previously undefeated BYU Cougars but have moved on and set their sights on the No. 13 Trojans.
“They’re gonna come out as always, fired up,” redshirt senior setter Dennis Gonzalez said. “It’s never been really easy for us. (In) rally scoring volleyball, anything can happen. I’m confident that we’re gonna be well prepared, but it won’t be easy (to beat them).”
Leading the Trojan offense are outside hitters Joao Grangeiro and Juan Figueroa. The Bruin attackers stand at least 4 inches taller than the Trojan power hitters, but the 6-foot-tall Grangeiro and 6-foot-1 Figueroa easily make up for their lack of height.
“(The Trojans) have really quick explosive spikers,” UCLA coach Al Scates said. “The Brazilian (Grangeiro) is very explosive – quick to hit the ball.”
Figueroa leads USC with 4.64 kills per game this season, while Grangeiro averages 4.16, according to USCTrojans.com. Freshman opposite C.J. Schellenberg has also been a core contributor, putting down 3.29 kills per game. Commanding USC’s balanced attack is Jimmy Killian, the highly touted sophomore setter.
When hosting the SAC tournament back in November, the Bruins swept the Trojans 30-21, 30-25, 30-19. In the middle of the match, UCLA junior outside hitter Paul George spiked a ball into Killian’s face, and Killian had to leave the match because of blurred vision. USC backup setter Gio Altamura came into the match for Killian, but the offensive results were not the same, Scates said.
“It was quite a difference between Killian and the backup setter,” Scates said. “He was a good high school setter and an experienced college setter.”
“Gio came in – he’s a great setter also,” Gonzalez said. “But if (Killian’s) been running their offense till now, then that might be an aspect of the game that they’re gonna be more consistent in.”
In addition to having Killian back in the USC lineup, a lot has changed since the November preseason matchup.
Starting Trojan middle blocker Andrew Vernon was out during the SAC tournament because of an injury, and the Bruins have since lost redshirt freshman middle blocker Jamie Diefenbach to a torn meniscus. Before his injury, Diefenbach led the team in hitting efficiency and blocks per game.
“(The USC) blocking will be better and we’ll see how our blocking is,” Scates said. “Others will have to pick it up. They’ll be a stronger team than we saw in the Men’s Gym.”
The last time the UCLA men’s volleyball team lost to USC was on Feb. 4, 2000. The Bruins certainly don’t want to end that streak anytime soon.
“It’s USC,” George said. “I don’t care how many times we’ve beaten them; you never want to lose to your rival.”