UCI:

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IRVINE — All it took was a little context and chronology to turn what appeared to be a disastrous start into a valuable lesson for the UC Irvine men’s volleyball team Friday night.

The No. 4-ranked Anteaters settled some collective nerves, then systematically manhandled No. 8-ranked UCLA for a 20-30, 30-24, 30-17, 30-28 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation victory before a spirited crowd of 1,564 at the Bren Events Center.

“The most valuable thing about this match was Game 1,� UCI Coach John Speraw said. “I think it’s maybe the most important game that we’ll have this season, up until the playoffs. It’s impossible, or very rare, when you can simulate the nervousness and the energy and how you manage that early in a big match.

“We had a big crowd and the guys knew it. It was against UCLA, the guys knew it. They came out and they were nervous and they were tight and they didn’t play very well. And the team on the other side of the net was playing great ... You kind of get used to the big crowds and you kind of get used to playing all the teams in our conference, then all of a sudden you get to the final four, and if that’s where we’re hoping to be, and they’re going to have that same kind of experience. They may have to look back on this match and remember what happened, and how to manage that and maybe remember how they played and have some strategies about how to improve. That’s why I loved it.�

UCI senior Taylor Wilson, who had a season-high 17 kills and hit .387 in what Speraw called his best match of the season, also enjoyed the atmosphere, and his team’s ability to eventually embrace it.

“It was the first time we had seen quite that size of a crowd this season and we were a little jittery at first,� Wilson said. “I think it’s really sweet seeing the Bren this packed. And, once we got our nerves out of the way in the first game, we were real fired up in the second game.

“That’s the first time we’ve been blown out at the beginning of a match and I think some people were getting in each other’s way a little bit and some people were saying a few negative things here and there. But I think the guys kind of settled everybody down, we gained a little momentum, and did a pretty nice job of settling in.�

Speraw said Wilson, as well as senior opposite Jon Steller, who had a team-high 18 kills and hit .400, were the ones primarily responsible for UCI (8-2, 4-1 in conference) settling for its fourth straight win, its seventh in its last eight matches.

“One of the things we’ve learned from years past, is that if you can have one good opposite and one outside hitter play well, you’re going to have a good shot,� Speraw said. “This season, it has been either Carson Clark or Stellar [playing well at opposite], because both of them have been great. And for most of the matches, [the top outside hitter] has really been Jordan DuFault. Tonight, it wasn’t Jordan ... It was about Taylor producing for us and it’s really nice to see. Really nice.�

Wilson who battled injuries all of last season and was slowed early this season by a sprained ankle, helped the Anteaters overcome an impressive performance by UCLA junior outside hitter Garrett Muagututia. The Bruins’ beast, whose stocky build might be more suited to football than volleyball, had 22 kills, a .390 hitting percentage, and was the visitors’ leading service receiver. He also had a match-high four ace serves, all in the first game, six digs and two block assists.

Senior setter Ryan Ammerman had 53 assists for the ’Eaters, helping the hosts hit .350 as a team.

Senior libero Nick Spittle came off the bench to post a match-high 10 digs, while junior middle blocker Ryan Simmons (seven block assists), Ammerman (six), Wilson and sophomore middle Kevin Wynne (five each) helped UCI post a 15-5 to 10 team blocking advantage.

Newport Harbor High products Kyle Caldwell (five kills and two aces) and Brett Perrine (three kills and two block assists) contributed for the Bruins (4-5, 2-3).