With just two games left in the regular season and a spot in the MPSF Quarterfinals in the bag, No. 3 Stanford men’s volleyball (19-3, 17-3 MPSF) is looking for a road win against No. 4 UCLA (21-5, 15-5) in its quest to secure a No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament. This matchup may prove one of the Cardinal’s hardest tests to date, and while the Bruins dropped their last two matches to No. 1 BYU, Stanford will need to come out swinging.

Earlier in the season, Stanford played the Bruins in a tight match that ended with a 3-1 Cardinal win. The two teams had a tremendous total of 36 tie scores as attempts to topple each other grew increasingly intense.

The Bruins are currently ranked first in the MPSF and third in the NCAA for aces per set, while also ranking seventh nationally in kills per set. Overall, they feature one of the strongest offenses in the nation, led by sophomore outside hitters Jake Arnitz and JT Hatch.

Stanford’s defense has shined in recent contests, and it should be prepared to counter UCLA’s powerful attack. The Cardinal is third in the country and second in the MPSF in blocks per set, with sophomore libero Evan Enriques and senior middle Conrad Kaminski leading the conference in individual blocks. 

Stanford thrives because of its well-rounded play, which allows for not only a star defensive line, but a strong attack that can overpower the UCLA defense. The Cardinal’s attack is third in the NCAA in hitting percentage (.344), tied for fourth in kills-per-set (13.10) and fourth in aces-per-set (1.53).

The Cardinal’s versatility will serve them well as they take on UCLA on April 7 at 5 p.m. in Los Angeles. The game will be televised on Pac-12 Networks.

 

Contact Laura Sussman at laura111 ‘at’ stanford.edu.