COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS : Northridge Holds On After Letting Down

John Price had this to say on Friday night after his Cal State Northridge men’s volleyball team struggled to a 15-7, 6-15, 15-17, 15-7, 15-7 win over Loyola Marymount: “We let up. Loyola is probably the least talented team in the league. It should have been more decisive.”

Perhaps Price is right. But his own squad isn’t exactly the Soviet national team, either.

CSUN (12-16, 2-9 in the Western Intercollegiate Volleyball Assn.) jumped to an early lead in the first game. Outside hitter Mike Bird helped the Matadors to a 7-3 lead and then served for five consecutive points. After a Loyola sideout, CSUN middle blocker Jeff McClean finished the game with a service ace.

CSUN trailed, 6-11, in the second game as its defense crumbled. Loyola (14-14, 0-12 in conference) took advantage of CSUN’s poor play for the 15-6 win.

“I don’t know what happened,” Price said. “We just didn’t do anything right.”

The tension was high in the third game. With the score tied, 15-15, after 10 scoreless sideouts for CSUN, Loyola finally closed out the Matadors, 17-15, on a blocking error by CSUN’s Ron Graening and a passing error by outside hitter Tom Melville.

CSUN played well in games four and five and was paced by Kien Do, McClean, who had 13 kills and Bird, who had 21 kills.

“We are getting used to these five-game matches,” Price said. “I guess you can say we really gut it out.”