The UCLA men’s volleyball team defeated Brigham Young University 3-1 on Apr. 18 at Pauley Pavilion, securing a share of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) regular season championship. The set scores were 21-25, 25-17, 25-23, and 27-25.
This victory brings the Bruins’ record to 26 wins and one loss overall, with a conference record of 13-1. Over the past five seasons, UCLA has compiled a strong conference performance with a record of 57 wins and five losses in MPSF play.
Sean Kelly led UCLA with 13 kills during the match. Five Bruins recorded at least seven kills each. Senior setter Andrew Rowan contributed by guiding the offense to a .309 hitting percentage and providing 42 assists. Zach Rama added nine kills along with four service aces, while redshirt junior Christopher Hersh achieved a career-high seven kills.
On defense, Rama had eight digs and David Decker contributed five blocks as UCLA held BYU to a .222 hitting percentage. After losing the first set, UCLA’s blocking improved in the second set with key plays from Hersh and Decker that helped establish an early lead.
The match included several close sets with momentum shifts between both teams. Key moments included an extended run in the second set led by Thorne at the service line for UCLA and late-set points from Decker, Rama, Thorne, Kelly, and Wong Diallo that secured crucial leads for the Bruins.
Looking ahead, UCLA will participate in the quarterfinal round of the MPSF Tournament on Tuesday evening. Their tournament opponent will be determined on Sunday afternoon.
