By Andrew Borders
Daily Bruin Reporter
UCLA senior Kristee Porter affirmed her status as the top
outside hitter in school and conference history Thursday night,
notching 20 kills including the record-breaking 2,116th of her
career.
The milestone came with the Bruin women’s volleyball team
ahead 14-6 in the second game and it was her 10th kill of the
match.
Porter’s achievement helped lift the No. 5 Bruins (8-2,
3-1 Pac-10) to a 3-1 victory over the Washington Huskies (8-5, 2-3)
by scores of 30-23, 30-20, 28-30 and 30-24.
UCLA dominated in every key statistical column, most notably
out-hitting Washington .288 to .154. The Bruins also had 20 blocks
to the Huskies’ 18, 10 service aces to Washington’s six
and 61 digs to the opponent’s 37.
Individually, senior outside hitter Ashley Bowles led all
starters in hitting percentage at .371, ahead of junior right-side
hitter Lauren Fendrick’s .333 and Washington junior middle
blocker Paige Benjamin’s .316.
Though Husky freshman outside hitter Kaitlin Leck led all
participants with 14 digs, the Bruins countered with four players
making double digits in that category, including Bowles, Porter and
the defensive setter duo of freshman Chrissie Zartman and sophomore
Stacey Lee.
UCLA senior Erika Selsor again proved to be the better setter,
leading her Washington counterpart, junior Gretchen Maurer, with 57
assists to Maurer’s 41.
Despite the loss, Washington head coach Jim McLaughlin tried to
put a positive spin on his team’s performance.
“UCLA just outplayed us the first two games, but I was
proud of how our team rallied back,” he said.
However, taking one game from the Bruins was not satisfactory to
Husky senior middle blocker Lisa Underhill.
“I’m disappointed in how we played. We just made
some mental errors and had some untimely errors which were the most
upsetting,” she said.
In the third game, Washington held UCLA to a mere .096 hitting
percentage despite beating Washington in total attacks 52-45. For
their own efforts, the Huskies won while hitting only .200.
Tonight is the Bruins attempt to avenge last season’s
embarrassing loss to Washington State in Pullman. The defeat
derailed the Bruins’ fading hopes of a conference title.
Washington State fell to USC on Thursday 3-0.