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The servegate controversy between UCLA and BYU will continue as the Cougars successful won thier protest to replay the fifth game overtime session.
The UCLA athletics department announced Saturday afternoon that after a BYU protest UCLA’s five-match victory on Friday has been nullified the teams will conclude the match later tonight.
“Due to a protest by BYU, last night’s match will be replayed beginning at the score of 16-16 in the fifth set starting at 7 pm. UCLA will be serving to begin the replay,” the UCLA athletics department said in a statement released Saturday evening. “After the replay of the fifth set has concluded, the Bruins will honor their senior class, both teams will be introduced and then tonight’s scheduled match will be played.”
The Bruins defeated the Cougars in their two-match series opener in part because of a controversial call on a serve in the fifth game overtime. With BYU serving match-point at 16-15, the officials initially ruled the Cougars’ serve landed inside the back-line for a match-winning ace.
That call resulted in large protest from UCLA as coach Al Scates left the bench and walked across the court argue with the officials. In addition, UCLA players refused to leave the court or line-up to shake hands with the BYU players in protest of the call.
Event security also went on the court to stand in between the players and officials.
After almost 10 minutes of arguing from both UCLA and BYU, the officials decided to replay the point. The replay point ended in a BYU service error, and UCLA eventually won the fifth game 20-18.
The UCLA had moved into a tie for second place in the MPSF and a half-match behind first-place UC Irvine, while BYU it would have drop into fourth place.
I am told that it will be replayed at 16-16. Why? Shouldn’t it be 16-15, with BYU up, since that is the score just before the whole thing happened?
Based on MPSF rules, it’s amazing they didn’t just give the game to BYU. Even IF the game wasn’t over, Al shouldn’t have been on the court to protest, shouldn’t have touched the main judge, etc. All of those actions should have resulted in a yellow card and automatic point to BYU.
This blog article left out the emphasis that the Cougars had won the 5th set. A line ref had even walked out of the building to head home. Then the umpire was convinced by Coach Scates and his team to overturn the call, that the ump himself had made, AFTER the game had been called. I don’t think that’s ever been done in any sport. Wow.
“With BYU serving match-point at 16-15, the officials initially ruled the Cougars’ serve landed inside the back-line for a match-winning ace.” Actually, the linesman ruled the serve out, but the referee on the stand overruled the call and said the ball was in. That’s why Scates argued the call. Now they’re going to restart the game again?!? This is looking like the gold medal basketball game in the 1972 Olympics with USA v. Russia.
It sounds like typical UCLA. Absoloutely no class at that university. I will never forget when their basketball team was playing at BYU and came back after the half-time recess. BYU’s International Folk Dancers were performing and the UCLA basketball team began shooting baskets to warm up during their performance. See, NO CLASS!
Wow. What was the correct call? I’m assuming it was close. Ref has to be 100% to overrule linesman. Sounds like a mess. Was that Al’s last home game? If so, what a way to go out.
What an unfortunate officiating incident which of course blemished what was otherwise an amazing and hard fought match by both teams. After reading a few comments, I feel that I’m compelled to defend my university from a few derogatory comments left on this blog. Deanna Pendleton writes: “It sounds like typical UCLA. Absolutely no class at that university. I will never forget when their basketball team was playing at BYU and came back after the half-time recess. BYU’s International Folk Dancers were performing and the UCLA basketball team began shooting baskets to warm up during their performance. See, NO CLASS!” Really? I’m sorry. At any Men’s NCAA basketball game, when the team comes out of the locker room after halftime, the team does practice on the floor. After all, it’s a Men’s NCAA Basketball game, right? I was in attendance on Friday and Saturday and witnessed firsthand what class really means. After Friday’s match, as everybody entered John Wooden Center, not one person in earshot, voiced any derogatory comment to any opposing BYU fan, athlete and or official. The game was played and the second game followed without incident, even after Friday’s hard fought match was ultimately decided by just 2 points. What I will point out is the excessive celebration by BYU players on the court, doing back flips. Even more, embarrassing to the game of volleyball as a whole, not to mention of Brigham Young University, after BYU was swept away, BYU fans walked out of John Wooden Center Collins Court with no regard to Al Scates’ retirement ceremony that immediately followed the match. The evening did not totally go UCLA’s way on Saturday, however every Bruin fan, alumni, athlete and coaching staff could not be more proud of our university that night! Sorry, you missed an amazing ceremony! Go Bruins!