UCSD men’s volleyball found itself in the unfamiliar position of being the favorite, but was unable to capitalize on opportunities and suffered a 1-2 week, sweeping Princeton University before dropping Mountain Pacific Sports Federation matches against USC and Pepperdine University.
Guardian
The Tritons opened their week Jan. 29 against the Princeton Tigers. Coming off difficult matches against the top teams in the nation, the Tritons were more than ready for Princeton. UCSD tamed the Tigers 30-20 in the first game and 30-25 in the second game, scoring almost at will and hitting over the unimposing Princeton block. The Tigers put a scare into UCSD in the third game when they managed a 27-24 lead, but the Triton squad that seemed to be in cruise control throughout the match elevated their play and rattled off a five-point run that led to a 30-28 win and the sweep.
Two nights later, No. 15-ranked UCSD hosted unranked USC in front of a raucous home crowd, looking to pick up its first MPSF win and reverse the trend of Trojan dominance. UCSD came out strong and electrified the crowd with a 30-22 drilling of USC in which the Tritons appeared to be in complete control. Jim Waller served up three aces during a five-point service run early in the game and the Tritons hit .440, leaving little doubt in the minds of observers that UCSD would take the match handily.
However, this was to be a night of momentum, which the Trojans proved in game two when they evened the match with a 30-21 victory. The Triton attack that had been so efficient in the first game sputtered considerably when USC capitalized on UCSD’s 11 attack errors.
Bouncing back in the third game, the UCSD attack was revitalized when T.J. Young and Waller each had five of the team’s 18 kills en route to a 30-24 victory.
Needing only one more game to close out the match, the Tritons engaged with the Trojans in a competitive fourth game. No team led by more than three points throughout, and both teams battled through a bevy of errors. The Tritons managed to gain a 28-27 lead, but needing just two points to win, UCSD surrendered the next three points and the momentum while USC pulled even 2-2.
The mistakes that plagued UCSD all night were evident again in the deciding fifth game, and the last of a season-high 28 service errors served as a fitting footnote when the Tritons unceremoniously bowed out 15-7.
UCSD head coach Ron Larsen talked about his team’s inability to come through in the clutch and win the key points that were needed to win the match.
“”Clearly it has to do with our execution of our fundamentals,”” he said. “”We’re not grounded enough in those opportunities. Part of it is we don’t get in those opportunities enough.””
With no time to lament the previous night’s loss, UCSD took to the court the following evening against 2002 National Runner-Up Pepperdine. The Tritons were clearly still replaying the previous night’s loss in their minds, and they came out tragically flat while the Waves embarrassed UCSD in the first game by 30-16.
The Tritons put up more of a fight in game two, but still lacked the fire and intensity they’d possessed the previous night when they fell 30-25.
UCSD gave signs of mounting a comeback in the third game with setter Eric Perrine feeding Waller and Young, who each finished with 14 kills on the night. The Tritons rallied to a game point at 29-28, but they could not come up with the crucial play to take the game and the Waves ripped the opportunity away to finish the sweep with a 32-30 win.
Coach Larsen blamed his team’s poor start on the effect of dropping such a tough match that UCSD was expected to win.
“”I think we go into most matches the underdog,”” he said. “”I think the loss affected us a whole lot more because all of a sudden we’re expected to win.””
Young commented later about what his team would need to win the crucial points in matches that they have been struggling with lately.
“”Mainly confidence,”” he said. “”We’ve got to play like we’re used to winning.””
UCSD travels to Provo, Utah, to take a team that’s used to winning — Brigham Young University — in a pair of matches Feb. 7 and Feb. 8, when the Tritons will resume their quest for the elusive first MPSF win of the year.
