April 4, 2008

Final Stats

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The trio of Isaac Kneubuhl, Cody Loe and Eric Vance combined for 29 of Cal State Northridge's 39 kills as the second-ranked Matadors wrapped up the road portion of the 2008 regular season with a 30-25, 30-28, 30-24 victory at No. 7 UCLA Friday night at Pauley Pavilion.

With the win, the Matadors improve to 21-6 overall and 16-4 in the MPSF. Northridge, which remains in first place in the conference, has now won 15 of its last 16 matches. The loss drops the Bruins to 16-12 overall and 11-9 in conference play.

The Matador win was also historic as it marked just the second time in the 30-year history of the series with UCLA that Northridge took both matches in one season. The Matadors also swept the series from the Bruins in 2003.

On Friday, Kneubuhl led Northridge with 11 kills while hitting .375 to go with a team-high six digs. Vance added 10 kills but was limited to a .167 hitting clip while Loe, who sat out the last four matches, returned with eight kills in 12 swings without an error for a .667 hitting effort. Sophomore Mike Gaudino contributed six kills, four digs, four blocks and two of the Matadors' five aces in the win. Senior setter Travis Bluemling posted 30 assists while setting the Matadors to a .345 hitting night.

For UCLA, Sean O'Malley had a match-high 14 kills (.480) while Ryan Ratelle also reached double figures with 12 kills (.500). The Bruins' leading hitter Garrett Muagututia was held to six kills and committed 12 errors in 21 attacks for a dismal -.286 hitting night.

After being out-blocked in each of the last four matches, the Matadors turned the tables on UCLA as Northridge posted 11.5 team blocks (seven by Kevin McKniff) to 3.5 for the Bruins.

With the score tied 7-7 in game one, the Matadors won 10 of the next 14 points to open up a 17-11 lead on a Kneubuhl kill. UCLA battled back to within two at 19-17 on a Ratelle putaway forcing Northridge to use a timeout. The Matadors then used a pair of UCLA miscues to boost their lead back to four at 21-17 forcing a Bruin timeout. UCLA would not get within three the rest of the way and the Matadors claimed game one 30-25.

The Bruins held slim early leads in game two before the Matadors reclaimed the lead and opened up a 15-11 after Kneubuhl and Loe teamed up to block Ratelle. Northridge's biggest lead of the frame was five (19-14) before UCLA whittled the Matador lead down to one at 23-22 following a Muagututia put-away. But Northridge won the next two points and Gaudino's kill forced a Bruin timeout at 25-22. UCLA pulled within one again at 28-27 but a Ratelle service error out of a Matador timeout and a Loe kill gave the Matadors a two-game lead.

In game three, the Bruins again held several early leads before the Matadors gained the upper hand. Down 5-4, Northridge scored the next four points to take control ay 8-5. The Matadors would not trail again eventually leading by as many at six at 18-12. The Northridge lead soon swelled to 27-17 before the Matadors took home game three 30-24.

Cal State Northridge returns home next week to wrap up the MPSF regular season against UC San Diego on Apr. 11 and Long Beach State on Apr. 12. Both matches begin at 7 p.m. in The Matadome.

- GO MATADORS -