LOS ANGELES – Stanford won the opening set, but No. 9 UCLA came back to top the Cardinal in four sets (23-25, 25-15, 25-13, 25-21), Friday, at Pauley Pavilion.
UCLA (7-3) hit .385, while holding Stanford (0-4) to a .144 clip. The Bruins notched seven service aces and out dug the Cardinal 45-34. Both teams registered 6.0 blocks. It was Stanford's fist loss to UCLA since the 2019 season.
Freshman Aidan Peters led Stanford with nine kills on .333 hitting. The Manhattan Beach native also tallied six digs and a block. Sophomore Will Rottman added six kills, five digs and a block in three sets played.
Rottman enters the match and makes his presence felt!#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/HfR9a78Ec6
— Stanford Men's Volleyball (@StanfordMVB) March 6, 2021
Sophomore setter Nathan Lietzke finished with 18 assists, six digs and was 5-0-6 (.833) offensively. Redshirt sophomore libero Justin Lui anchored the defense with a team-high nine digs.
Sophomore middle blocker Nathaniel Gates turned in a match-high five blocks to go with three kills. Senior outside hitter Leo Henken chipped in with four kills, six digs and two blocks.
Rottman and Gates send it ??!#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/y33Kew1lIU
— Stanford Men's Volleyball (@StanfordMVB) March 6, 2021
Redshirt freshman Merrick McHenry led UCLA with a match-high 17 kills on .593 hitting and four blocks. Sophomore Cole Ketrzynski totaled 15 kills on .303 hitting, six digs and two blocks for the Bruins.
Friday's match, which was originally slated for 5 p.m., did not start until 7:30 due to delayed COVID test results.
Stanford and UCLA will play again on Saturday in Pauley Pavilion at 7:30 p.m. on pac-12.com.