Cougar setters face ‘perfect’ UCLA squad

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    By ROMNEY M. STEWART

    Tonight and Saturday night the Cougars will play the nation’s top ranked team, UCLA, in Los Angeles. UCLA leads the series 24-2, and has never lost to BYU in Pauley Pavilion.

    “BYU was picked No. 1 in the preseason poll,” said UCLA head coach Al Scates, in his 36th year at the helm of the Bruins. “They’ve got two great middle blockers and so do we, so it will be a great matchup.”

    Cougars Shane Van Beest and Ryan Millar are averaging 2.83 and 2.25 blocks per game.

    Bruin sophomore setter Brandon Taliaferro, one of the best setters in the nation, is averaging over 15 assists per game, while his 6-10 teammate Adam Naeve is knocking down 5.2 kills per game.

    Last year’s runner-up to national champion Stanford, UCLA is 15-0 overall, 10-0 in league play and in first place in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation’s Mountain division.

    The No. 3 BYU men’s volleyball team defeated UC-Irvine in the first of its four matches this week in California. The Cougars defeated the Anteaters in three straight games 16-14, 15-13, and 15-8 Tuesday night.

    The UC-Irvine Anteaters are No. 14 in the latest USA TODAY/AVCA poll, and in fourth place in the MPSF’s Mountain Division.

    In Tuesday’s match, junior Ossie Antonetti led the Cougars attack with 30 kills and seven blocks. National blocking leader Shane Van Beest recorded 12 blocks to compliment his 13 kills. The nation’s No. 2 leader in blocks, All-American Ryan Millar contributed with 22 kills. Setter Chris Pitzak effectively guided the team with 78 assists on the night.

    BYU had a great night controlling the ball with a hitting percentage of .456.

    BYU is 7-2 for the season and in third place in the Mountain Division behind first place UCLA and second place Pepperdine.

    In the MPSF Pacific Division, The University of Hawaii leads the pack with first place, with Stanford and Long Beach State close behind.

    “We’re going to go down to UCLA and it’s going to be two five-game battles,” said BYU player Torry Tukuafu.

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