Saturday’s contest offers the Bruins little to lose – but perhaps something to prove.
Inching upon their final five games of the season, there’s no escaping the inevitable – the Bruins will likely not reach the postseason. But Saturday will offer them a chance to test their mettle against one of the nation’s most elite defenses.
UCLA women’s volleyball (12-12, 6-9 Big Ten) will host No. 6 Wisconsin (19-5, 13-2) at Pauley Pavilion on Saturday night, with first serve slated for 7:30 p.m.
Wisconsin is a known powerhouse in women’s volleyball, boasting the 2021 NCAA title and finishing as the runner-up in 2019. Known for their defensive strength, the Badgers currently lead the nation with 3.09 blocks per set.
“Every night in the Big Ten is a big battle,” said coach Alfee Reft. “Wisconsin poses a unique challenge that we haven’t seen this year, and yet, we play well against teams that pose a new equation for us to figure out.
The Badgers have racked up 259.5 total blocks this season, with a standout performance from middle blocker CC Crawford – who leads the team with 95 blocks.
Though UCLA’s graduate student middle blocker Anna Dodson nearly matches Crawford’s production at the net with 90 blocks of her own, Wisconsin holds a clear defensive advantage. While Dodson is the sole Bruin to surpass 50 blocks this season, three other Badgers have eclipsed that total.
All that poses no threat to UCLA, Reft said, and he’s confident in his team’s ability to respond.
“They’re a big team, and I think it actually suits our hitters,” Reft said. “We talk about hitting high and hitting hard, and we got some high flyers, so I’m excited to see them take advantage of the size of that team.”
UCLA outpaces Wisconsin with 1,233 kills on the season, led by junior outside hitter Cheridyn Leverette – who boasts 348 kills on a .239 hitting percentage.
Depth on the Bruin bench runs deep – three additional players have topped the 200-kill mark this season.
Reft said this season has been marked by adversity, and the Bruins are guaranteed an overall record worse than last year’s – even if they win out their final five games.
But amid hardship, support systems prove ever important.
“We’re all such a close bunch,” Leverette said. “I think that’s one of our strengths, how we lean on each other and how we show up for each other. I know I can always look to my center and look to Kiki (freshman outside hitter Kiki Horne) on the court to rely on her.”
And from seniors to freshmen, the sentiment stays the same.
“It’s easy to get through tough times when you lean on one another,” Horne said.
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