LOS ANGELOS, CA—UCLA selected to finish No. 4 in the AVCA Preseason Poll and second in the Coaches' Preseason Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) swept visiting NJIT, 3-0, in the 2018 season opener for both teams Wednesday evening.

The No. 4-ranked Bruins won in straight sets 25-17, 25-20 and 25-20.

A season ago, UCLA finished fifth in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) standings and concluded the 2017 season at No. 6 in the final AVCA National Poll.

NJIT, which finished last season with an even 13-13 record and 6-8 in the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) was selected to finish sixth in EIVA Preseason Coaches' Poll.

UCLA's Christian Hessennauer led the match with 12 kills followed by Jake Arnitz with 10.  Hessenauer combined for a .688 hitting percentage while Arnitz combined for a .304 percentage.

Setter Micah Ma'a notched 32 assists and JT Hatch posted eight digs for the home team.

Visiting NJIT was paced by sophomore Piotr Namiotko's eight kills followed by newcomer Alvaro Rubio with seven.  Setter Ricardo Whitaker recorded a team-best 23 assists and five digs for the Highlanders.

UCLA picked up a 25-17 win in the first set paced by Christia Hessenauer with seven kills.  The Bruins hit .393, combining for 16 kills on 28 swings with just five errors.

The second set was even early before the Bruins put together a run for an 11-6 and later18-12. NJIT rallied to close the gap 22-20 and then 24-22 before the Bruins took the set at 25-22 after a hitting error by the visitors.

In the third frame, UCLA opened up a 4-1 lead.  NJIT managed to even the score on five different occasions, the final at 11-all. A UCLA kill gave the home team the lead for good, 12-11, and started a 4-0 Bruin run.

NJIT pulled within as close as two, at 15-13 and 16-14, before the Bruins used a kill and a triple block to take a 22-17 lead. A Bruin service ace ended the contest at 25-20.

The Highlanders will continue its trip out West and square off against UC Santa Barbara (January 4), Cal State Northridge (January 5) and Long Beach State (January 5).