CSUN topples Irvine

NORTHRIDGE — UC Irvine men’s volleyball coach John Speraw said all along that he saw this coming.

But, after a 31-29, 27-30, 30-27, 30-28 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation loss to No. 2-ranked Cal State Northridge Wednesday, the architect of two national championships in the last three seasons also said he believes he sees great things to come for his Anteaters this season.

“I think we’re really close to being a good team,” said Speraw, after his No. 4-ranked squad lost its second straight, despite out-producing its opponent in several key statistical categories. “Maybe we’re really close to being a great team. I think we’re a good team now.

“Obviously we’re all really frustrated, because we’re close and we know it and we can feel it. And when you know you’re a good team and you’re not pulling out wins; when you look at the stats and wonder how the heck that can happen, really, it gets frustrating.”

Just as it did against top-ranked USC in a home MPSF loss Saturday, UCI (4-3, 1-2 in conference) bested the Matadors (6-0, 3-0) in hitting (.328 to .295), total blocks (15 to eight) and digs (39-37).

But Northridge had nine aces to only two for the ’Eaters and a tendency to get tentative at the service line cost UCI, Speraw said.

“Our [service error] percentage was 19% overall, but that’s deceiving,” Speraw said.

“The problem was, Kevin Carroll was at 35% errors, Jordan DuFault was at 30% errors and Connor Hughes was at 75% errors. When we have that many errors from guys who need to go back there and bang their jump serve, then they start serving easy. Then, [Northridge] is in system all the time.”

The Matadors’ system also included greater balance, as four players had double-digit kills.

Junior opposite Tanner Nua and senior outside hitter Theo Edwards had 18 apiece, while senior outside hitter Matt Gaudino (15) and senior middle blocker Kevin McKniff (10) also helped sophomore setter Matt Stark produce 62 assists.

Sophomore opposite Carson Clark led UCI with 23 kills and hit .349 for the match.

DuFault, a junior outside hitter, hit .471 with 18 kills and had five block assists.

Three UCI middles combined for just nine kills, though senior Bryan Simmons produced eight block assists and one solo stuff.

Six Northridge starters all had at least one ace to help counter 27 service errors, six more than UCI’s total.

“[Northridge] is the toughest serving team in America, I think,” Speraw said.

Frustration aside, Speraw said he maintains optimism.

“I told [the players] at the beginning of the year that they need to understand that this year is going to be hard,” Speraw said. “ I knew this year would be hard. The teams are all better and we know that last year we gained a lot confidence, because we got some wins in January, ugly wins in which teams gave us points. I told them, this year, we’re not going to get those points. And we’re not getting those points.

“Last year we were 3-3 and this year, we’re now 4-3. But instead of us getting easy wins, because somebody decided to gaffe it, we have to get better and we have to execute our serve, the set, and better shot selection. And we have to take the right swing.”

UCI led in every game, including a 29-28 advantage it squandered in the opening set.

Northridge senior Jacek Ratajczak, a 7-foot-2 middle who had a big match in a win at UCI last season, had eight kills, five block assists and two aces to help the winners.

UCI returns to action Friday, when it plays host to MPSF rival UC Santa Barbara at 7 p.m.