Wednesday, November 25, 1998
Seniors beat back Waves, winning final home match
RECAP: Squad untangles from initial errors, rebounding with
skills, awaits tournament bid
By Nick Taylor
Daily Bruin Contributor
The UCLA women’s volleyball team gave its fans what seemed to be
a minor heart attack Tuesday night before defeating the Pepperdine
Waves in five games, 7-15, 15-11, 15-8, 11-15, 15-13 at Pauley
Pavilion.
"It was a struggle," said senior Mandi Lawson, who along with
Chaska Potter, was playing in her last home match. She added, "We
ended it on a good note."
They certainly did, but it did not look that way early. The
Bruins lost the first game, as Pepperdine’s strong hitters
overpowered UCLA’s defense. Jamie Hill had 18 kills for the Waves,
and Anna Witowski added 12 more from the middle. UCLA, however,
rebounded strongly.
"Our coaches told us to (concentrate) on technique," said
Elisabeth Bachman. "Our coaches told us how to block on their
different hitters."
The Bruins, behind three members of the All-Pac-10 team
(Bachman, Ashley Bowles and Kristee Porter), put their coaches’
advice to good use. In the middle, Bachman had 11 blocks and 14
kills. Meanwhile, on the outside, Porter had a match-high 33 kills
for her fourth 30-kill effort. Bowles had 17 kills, including five
in the critical fifth game.
UCLA stormed back against Pepperdine to take a two games to one
lead behind a strong service game. "Shorter serves take the middle
(blocker) out of the offense," Bachman explained. "It forces them
to pass."
Pepperdine quickly adjusted and won the fourth game with strong
outside hitter play. Freshman hitter Lindsay Phillips had nine of
her 24 kills in the fourth game. The teams were knotted at 8-8 when
Pepperdine ran off a 7-3 run to complete the game. The Bruins
looked as if they might unravel at the seams after an error led to
game point.
"I looked at Chaska (Potter), and thought to myself, ‘We have to
win,’" Lawson said. The Bruins came out in the fifth game with the
composure of a battle-tested team, and it showed.
"Our team did really well in the fifth game," Bachman said. "We
just kept fighting and stayed in there."
UCLA had its first lead in the final game after a Bowles dig and
an eventual Porter kill would break a 9-9 tie. Bowles spiked two
more kills, off sets from Potter and Porter, as the Bruin offense
began to manufacture points. Pepperdine closed to 14-13 on a
Phillips kill, but then Bowles finished the match with a spike that
the Waves couldn’t retrieve.
The No. 15 ranked Bruins finished the regular season with a
15-11 record and await an at-large bid from the NCAA tournament
selection committee on Sunday. The Bruins have high hopes compete
well in the postseason.
"Finally, I get to play in the NCAA tournament," said Lawson. "I
can’t wait."
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