Teams crave an undefeated record, but they may crave ending one even more.
And with the Bruins’ unblemished record, each new matchup brings the chance for a challenger to end their run.
No. 1 UCLA men’s volleyball (10-0, 3-0 MPSF) will face No. 17 Cal State Northridge (7-3) Friday at Pauley Pavilion. The Bruins are coming off a reverse sweep of the reigning national champions Feb. 6, but their undefeated record does not mean that they are becoming complacent.
“It’s just a matter of us being willing to adapt in those moments that are tough,” said coach John Hawks after the team’s 3-2 victory against Long Beach. “When you’re on your heels and you’ve got a big crowd, there’s a lot of pressure. We’re going to worry about our side of the net and take care of ourselves first.”
[Related: UCLA men’s volleyball defeats Long Beach State in reverse sweep match]
The Bruins’ win over the Beach, which avenged last season’s loss in the 2025 NCAA championship, showcased both the breadth and depth of their roster.
UCLA has been firing on all cylinders on offense, with senior outside hitter Zach Rama spearheading much of the arsenal. Rama boasts a team-high 138 kills on a .437 clip thus far.
Defensively, the team’s back row has also been anchored by redshirt junior libero Christopher Connelly, who has notched a season total of 66 digs. His defensive intensity was instrumental against Long Beach, when a career-high 13 digs bolstered the team’s serve-receive game.
“Long Beach is all about grit,” Connelly said. “They’re going to play really hard and swing tough. (It’s about) just adjusting to that and realizing that they’re not going to quit and neither are we.”
The victory not only continued their clean record, but it also helped the Bruins gain confidence in their capabilities.
“We just had to handle them (Long Beach). We didn’t have to dot them, we didn’t have to make the perfect touch. In order to handle their aggression, we just made things simple,” said senior setter Andrew Rowan.
On the other side of the court, CSUN enters the matchup coming off two consecutive losses, first falling to No. 4 USC in a five-set battle, and the second in a sweep by No. 6 Pepperdine. Despite these recent setbacks, the Matadors boast a roster full of talent and a history of strong performances.
Last season, the team finished with an 18-11 overall record and was ranked as high as No. 7 for three straight weeks from March 3 to 17. The team ended 2025 at No. 9, CSUN’s best conclusion since 2018.
Leading the CSUN charge is Jordan Lucas, who has been a standout this season. The outside hitter recently set a career-high with 30 kills in the loss to USC, leading all players with a .509 clip on 53 swings. His performance was the highest kill total in a single match in the NCAA so far this season, earning him Big West Offensive Player of the Week honors.
Lucas is the first CSUN player to earn the nod since opposite Jalen Phillips won it last season on April 14 – Phillips’ third of 2025. Phillips is also an offensive powerhouse, boasting a team high 94 kills on a .340 clip.
CSUN coach Theo Edwards also brings his success from last season. In his second year at the helm, Edwards led the Matadors to the semifinals of the 2024 Outrigger Big West championship, which was the team’s furthest postseason run since 2018.
With a strong foundation, CSUN will come ready to fight, and as the team to beat, UCLA will need to continue bringing its best efforts. With pressure mounting, UCLA’s recent victory over Long Beach showed its ability to stay composed and execute under stress.
“Even when a team is playing out of their minds, we can balance them, we can counteract them,” Rowan said. “For confidence and experience, (Long Beach) was one of the most important games of the year.”
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