Saturday, January 19, 2002

[ VOLLEYBALL ]

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UCLA makes Outrigger’s
final day matter

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By Cindy Luis
cluis@starbulletin.com

It was vintage UCLA.

After struggling from the service line in the Game 1 marathon, the Bruins uncorked jump serve after jump serve over the next two games to bottle up Penn State last night at the Stan Sheriff Center.

No. 2 UCLA zinged in 6 aces -- 4 in Game 2 -- to sweep the Nittany Lions, 38-36, 30-20, 33-31, in yesterday's first match of the 8th Outrigger Invitational men's volleyball tournament. The win by the Bruins (4-1) sets up tonight's 7:30 p.m. showdown with host Hawaii (3-1), the tournaments other unbeaten.

For the eighth consecutive year, the title will be decided in the last match of the event. The Bruins have won five of the championships, the Warriors the other two. But UCLA has defeated UH six times in the tourney (the Warriors won the 1997 title on game-differential).

The next pop you'll hear is that of the Nittany Lions' No. 1-ranking. Penn State (1-2) hopes to salvage the trip in today's 5 p.m. match with Lewis (0-2).

"We've got to win against Lewis," said Penn State coach Mark Pavlik. "Nobody wants to leave here 0-3."

Penn State caught UCLA at 12 in game three on Zeliko Koljesar's kill. There were 15 ties and five lead changes after that.

Despite an illegal substitution which cost them a point and a serve, the Nittany Lions served twice for the game, the last at 30-29.

Mount buried his 11th kill to tie it at 30 and it took UCLA two tries to finally end the match when Chris Pena and Komer teamed to block Hawkins to end it after an hour and 42 minutes.

Jonathan Acosta, with just four kills in Game 1, finished with a match-high 17, hitting .577. Komer added 14 kills, 2 aces and was in on 4 of the team's 8 blocks.

Koljesar had 14 kills for Penn State and Zach Slenker added 13. Norman Keil finished with 8 kills and no errors on 14 attempts and was in on 6 of the Nittany Lions' 8 blocks.

"We haven't looked at Hawaii, we'll do film in the morning," said UCLA coach Al Scates. "But we know them pretty well and they certainly handled Penn State (on Thursday) better than we did. And I know Penn State will play better Saturday."

Penn State will host the final four and Pavlik said that adds pressure and motivation.

"We want to be at home playing at the end of the year," said Pavlik. "Our guys don't want some other team in our locker room."