The Bruins attempted to muster up enough grit to get past the fourth-ranked team in the nation.
And although a chorus of voices from the Bruin bench, led by defensive specialist/libero Katie McCarthy, chanted “Keep it gritty,” UCLA women’s volleyball (11-9, 3-7 Pac-12) succumbed to No. 4 Washington State (18-3, 8-2) on Sunday afternoon at Pauley Pavilion.
The Bruins managed to push the match to four sets, but they ultimately dropped the match to one of the nation’s best after a 25-10 defeat in the third frame marked the hosts’ lowest-scoring third stanza of the season. Despite the loss, sophomore outside/opposite hitter Grayce Olson said the noise from her teammates is instrumental when she’s on the court.
“To be able to come off and be on the sidelines with the rest of the team is helpful because they are always so supportive,” Olson said. “When I go back in, I can hear them on the court which makes a huge difference.”
Graduate student middle blocker Desiree Becker echoed her teammate’s sentiments.
“As teammates, it just helps elevate the level of our play and makes the atmosphere just way more electric for us around the court,” Becker said.
The first set was neck and neck, but appeared to be going the Bruins’ way. A block by Becker and senior outside/opposite hitter Iman Ndiaye stopped the Cougars’ attempts to score, forcing them to take a timeout with UCLA ahead 20-17.
A kill by sophomore outside hitter Cheridyn Leverette was the last point the Bruins managed in the first, however, as the Cougars went on a 4-0 scoring spree, sealing the deal – and set – by three points.
Despite an unfavorable opening frame result, the Bruins still outperformed their foes on the offensive front, notching a .268 hitting percentage compared to the Cougars’ .194.
The showcase of UCLA’s ‘grit’ transpired in the second set. Despite a seven-point deficit midway through the affair, the Bruins inched closer and closer to the Cougars to ultimately level the scoreboard at 19 apiece.
Reflecting on their game against Washington on Friday and what coach Alfee Reft saw in the first two sets against Washington State, he said his squad has always shown a fighter mentality.
“They know how to fight, and they know how to battle,” Reft said.
Washington State’s offense stumbled at the end of the second frame, allowing UCLA to emerge with the set victory on the back of seven attack errors and four service errors.
Heading into the third frame, each team held a slice of the victory pie.
But the Cougars managed to devour the entire dessert.
Set three featured the revived Cougars, as they allowed the Bruins to score just five points while they put up 19 en route to the Bruins’ lowest-scoring third set where they tallied just 10 points to receive a 15-point loss.
Reft said he had anticipated his opponent’s offensive strategy.
“They were going to attack us from a lot of different areas,” Reft said. “Their serving was definitely a lot tougher than we could get going; they hit their serves and targets with some pace.”
The Bruins fell into negative figures in the frame, striking at a -.071 hitting percentage.
Despite the team’s offensive struggles, Olson earned 17 kills and hit at a .438 clip, the second-highest of her season.
Reft said the Bruins’ focus now is to maintain momentum.
“Tonight we didn’t see that,” Reft said. “It is making sure that we can play for four matches, not two sets, not two and half sets.”
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