UCLA
San Diego
#17 UCLA Balanced in Win Over #18 USD
September 12, 2015 | Women's Volleyball
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SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Junior Jordan Anderson led all players with 20 kills, adding six digs, while sophomore Reily Buechler posted her second double-double in a row with 13 kills and 13 digs, as the 17th-ranked Bruins defeated #18 San Diego in four sets on Friday at the UCSB Invitational. Set scores were 25-13, 24-26, 25-21, 25-23.
The Bruins improve to 5-1 with their fourth straight victory, while the Toreros fall to 5-2.
Four players were in double figures in kills for the Bruins. Redshirt junior Haley Lawless had 12 kills, a .417 hitting percentage and four digs, while junior Claire Felix posted 10 kills and only one error in 25 attempts (.360) with three blocks. Freshman Zana Muno tallied 47 assists, five digs and three blocks and set the Bruins to a .289 hitting percentage. Defensively, senior Rachel Inouye had 13 digs, junior Taylor Formico added 10 and junior Jennie Frager notched six blocks, as UCLA had nine roofs as a team.
The early portion of set one featured four ties and two lead changes, but an 11-1 UCLA run sparked a runaway victory for the Bruins. Trailing 4-3, a Felix kill, a USD attack error, an Anderson kill and an Anderson/Frager block put the Bruins up 7-4. After a Torero sideout, UCLA reeled off seven straight on two Muno aces and a kill, an Anderson kill, an Anderson/Frager combo block and two USD attack errors.
The Bruins' lead got to double figures for the first time at 16-6. UCLA's advantage would not dip below nine for the rest of the set, reaching as high as 12. At 18-9, a Buechler kill, a Felix/Muno block and an Anderson kill extended the lead to a dozen. UCLA had 12 set points and converted on the second on a USD attack error to win it 25-13. Anderson paced the Bruins with five kills, while Buechler and Lawless each had three. Inouye recorded seven digs, while Buechler had five. The Bruins out-hit the Toreros .344 to -.083.
UCLA didn't lead until late in the second, but lost the deuce set. Trailing 9-3, the Bruins closed to within one at 13-12, but the Toreros would stretch their lead back up to four at 17-13. UCLA got to within one three more times before finally tying things at 20 after a Buechler kill. Even at 21 following a Felix kill, a USD attack error gave UCLA its first lead of the set.
The Bruins led 23-22 on another Felix kill, but two straight for the Toreros gave them a set point. An attack error kept the set going, but San Diego scored the next two to take the second 26-24. Felix paced the Bruins in the second with five kills, Buechler added four with five digs and Lawless recorded three kills. UCLA out-hit San Diego .140 to .091.
Set three was very similar to the second, but the Bruins this time would win it to take a 2-1 match lead. Even at seven, San Diego went on a 6-1 run to go ahead 13-8. The Toreros still led by five at 17-12 before the Bruins went on their run, scoring six straight to take an 18-17 edge. Felix was a part of three of the points on two kills and a solo block. An Anderson kill, a Buechler ace and an attack error made it a one-point Bruin lead.
After a USD sideout, an Anderson kill and a Formico ace made it 20-18. The Toreros would again tie it at 20, but two Anderson kills with a kill by freshman Kyra Rogers in between put the Bruins on top 23-20. Following a sideout, an Anderson kill and a USD attack error closed out the 25-21 win. Anderson led the Bruins with six kills in the third, while Felix and Lawless had three each. The Bruins out-hit the Toreros .343 to .194.
Neither team led by more than three in set four, but the Bruins would hold on to complete the four-set victory. Even at eight, the Toreros scored three straight to go ahead 11-8, but the Bruins would tie things up again at 13, 14 and 15. Trailing 16-15, the Bruins tallied an Anderson kill, an ace by senior Karly Drolson and a Frager/Lawless block to go ahead 18-16. UCLA didn't trail for the rest of the set.
After a sideout, a USD service and attack error put the Bruins up by a set-best three at 20-17. Anderson scored the last three Bruin points, posting her 20th of the evening to clinch the 25-23 win. Anderson recorded eight kills in the fourth, Buechler added four and Lawless had three. A great hitting set saw the Bruins win the battle .375 to .355.
The Bruins look to keep their winning streak going against SMU on Saturday at 7 p.m. Live stats will be available on UCLABruins.com.
