CSUN Drops Five-Set Heartbreaker to No. 2 UCLA

Thursday, March 24

Northridge, Calif.

7:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

13-11, 6-11MPSF

UCLA

20-3, 14-3MPSF

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
UCLA	19	25	23	25	15	3
CSUN	25	20	25	16	7	2

Photo by: Jeff Golden

CSUN Drops Five-Set Heartbreaker to No. 2 UCLA

3/24/2016 10:21:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

NORTHRIDGE, CA - Holding a two sets to one lead over No. 2 UCLA, the 11th-ranked CSUN Matadors had their sights on a second straight upset. But the Bruins had other plans as the visitiors stormed back to take the final two sets and hold off the Matadors 19-25, 25-20, 23-25, 25-16, 15-7 Thursday at The Matadome.

The loss drops CSUN to 13-11 overall and 6-11 in the MPSF as the Matadors continue to fight for a postseason berth. UCLA improves to 20-3 overall and 14-3 in conference play with the victory.

Jakub Ciesla had 13 kills (.200) to lead CSUN which also got 10 kills (.154) and four digs from Dimitar Kalchev. The Matadors were out-hit .285-.174 and UCLA posted a sizable advantage in kills (64-43). Sam Porter had 34 assists and served the Matadors' only ace.

"The effort was there tonight, it just came down to experience and the better team won," said CSUN head coach Jeff Campbell. "I thought the guys looked a little tired in the fourth and fifth sets but we'll learn from this and come back strong against Santa Barbara on Saturday."

The Matadors won the opening set 25-19 despite posting just nine kills on .200 hitting. The visitors committed 11 hitting errors on their way to .029 hitting but responded by hitting a match-high .529 to claim set two 25-20.

After Kalchev's kill gave CSUN a 14-12 lead in set three, the Matadors extended the lead to 18-14 when Ciesla's attack went off the UCLA block. The Bruins battled back to knot the score at 22-22 when CSUN claimed three of the last four points, the last coming on a Josiah Byers kill, to take the set 25-23.

The Matadors came in 11-1 when winning the third set this season but quickly fell behind 11-6 in the fourth and never recovered. Campbell turned to his bench to finish out set four and the reserves put up a fight before falling 25-16.

In the fifth and deciding set, the Bruins scored the first three points and never trailed. CSUN got within 5-4 when a UCLA attack sailed long and the Matadors were still in striking distance at 7-5 following a Kalchev kill. But the Bruins took command on the strength of a 7-1 run and closed the match on a JT Hatch kill.

Hatch had a match-high 20 kills (.333) to lead UCLA which also received 16 kills (.205) from Jake Arnitz.

CSUN wraps up a three-match homestand Saturday as the Matadors host UC Santa Barbara at 7 p.m. The Matadors will honor seniors Brian O'Gorman and Dan Starkey prior to the match.

#GoMatadors