UCLA Olympic Sports Update: January 23rd

There was much happening in Westwood this past weekend. Let’s just get right down to it…

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL –  It was a mixed weekend for Cori Close’s team at the John Wooden Center, as they did well in beating Oregon State this past Thursday, 69-60, but shot like a little girl’s YWCA team in having their tails handed to them two days later by Oregon, 83-62, falling behind 52-23 at halftime in that so-called game.

Rebekah Gardner’s 19 points, eight rebounds and four steals paced UCLA, while Markel Walker had a whopping 18 rebounds to go along with her 16 points and nine assists in the win over the Beavers.

Against Oregon’s Ducks, however, it was a completely different story as the Bruins missed their first nine shots of the game, ending with a shooting percentage of only 30%.

As good as Walker was against OSU, she had her worst game as a UCLA player versus the Ducks as she made only one of her 15 shots and scored only three points, apparently being unable to hit the side of a barn.

Thea Lemberger was a bright spot as she scored 18 points, nine of them coming by the three-point route as her 26 baskets from behind the arc lead the team.

Gardner had a monster game with her 22 points, 15 rebounds and six assists, serving as the other bright spot in the Bruins’ disaster; it’s getting ever so clearer that Gardner is the most valuable player of this team as she has been the most consistent Lady Bruin hoopster.

Now sitting at 3-4 in the Pac-12 Conference and 8-10 overall, these Bruins will hit the road to face league newbies Utah and Colorado, the Utes in Salt Lake City on Thursday, January 26 and the Buffaloes in Boulder on Sunday, January 29.

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL –  This volleyball team is off to a good start, wanting dearly to give legendary coach Al Scates a going away present with a 20th national championship.

The Bruins began Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play this past weekend with wins over Stanford on Friday and Pacific on Saturday, both in straight sets and both coming at home.

UCLA is currently ranked third in the country with a record of 7-1 overall and 2-0 in the MPSF.

This week, they continue their home stand and will take on Cal State Northridge on Wednesday, January 25, and UC Santa Barbara on Friday, January 27. Both matches will be at the John Wooden Center.

WOMEN’S WATER POLO –   Like their male volleyball counterparts, these ladies are likewise ranked third in the nation and are off to a very good start, as evidenced by winning three games at the Michigan Invitational in Ann Arbor, MI this past weekend.

UCLA beat Colorado State, 9-4, and #10 Indiana, 10-5, on Saturday, following up those triumphs by defeating the host team, Michigan, on Sunday by a score of 10-8.

At 3-0 on the young season, the Bruins will head for Stanford to play in the their Invitational in two weeks, beginning on February 4 with games against Hawaii and California.

MEN’S TENNIS –  Started their season off right by beating BYU, six matches to one, at the Los Angeles Tennis Center on campus this past Friday.

Ranked #9, they next host UC Irvine at the L.A. Tennis Center this coming Tuesday.

WOMEN’S TENNIS –  Will begin their dual match campaign this Wednesday, January 25, when they host UC Irvine at the Los Angeles Tennis Center.

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