Anteaters strike up on-court challenge

Published: Thursday, February 26, 1998

Thursday, February 26, 1998

VOLLEYBALL: With big hitters, UC Irvine could threaten powerful UCLA

By Grace Wen

Daily Bruin Staff

What a difference a year can make.

The UC Irvine men's volleyball team already has more wins this season than it did all of last year.

The Anteaters finished tied for last in the Mountain Division of the MPSF conference. This year Irvine is tied with BYU for third behind UCLA and Pepperdine.

Second-year UCI head coach Charlie Brande attributes the vast improvement to a good recruiting class and returners who are more competitive than before.

"Last year when we played, I didn't feel we stepped up and played very competitively," Brande said. "I think this year's group will be much much more competitive. It'll be tough for us to win a game there, but we'll be much much more competitive."

Although the Anteaters' four-match winning streak was broken last Saturday by Santa Barbara, UCI has a loaded offense that has keyed them to wins over USC and UCSB.

"They have three outside hitters coming back, and they're all getting about five kills per game," UCLA head coach Al Scates said. "The other two players don't get set very much. This is a problem because you can't key on three players."

UCLA's main focus, however, will be on Cory Weber. The senior middle blocker has been the Anteaters go-to-guy. Weber averages 6.8 kills a game and is hitting .426 for the year.

"What's alarming about it is that he's hitting .426 and getting 6.5 kills per game," Scates said. "This is big. This is a big problem. Anybody who gets that many sets and hits for that kind of average (has got to be the reason)."

Weber's performance along with outside hitters Donnie Rafter and Mike Rupp will keep the Bruins on their toes tonight.

"We're going to have to read and react a little more than usual," Scates said. "Play a pretty straight up honest defense cause they have three people they can go to."

UCLA, on the other hand, has an offense in which it can go to five different people. In addition, the Bruin lineups have been known to change yet still produce wins.

Despite the improved season for Irvine, Brande realizes that a formidable challenge lies ahead of them.

"UCLA is extremely well-coached and extremely talented," Brande said. "We hope to get there and give them some kind of a battle.

"I think serving will be a tremendous factor. If we don't serve tough and we don't receive well it's going to be very hard for us to compete."