This post was updated Oct. 17 at 9:29 p.m.
Smiles and screams filled the stands of Pauley Pavilion – Friday’s game was Team Day, and young volleyball players admired the tightly contested play on center court.
No. 14 UCLA women’s volleyball (14-4, 5-2 Big Ten) toppled No. 15 Penn State (12-5, 4-3) in five sets for their first ranked win at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California.
After back-to-back away victories over Maryland and Rutgers on Oct. 9 and 10, UCLA was riding a winning streak on the long haul back to Westwood. Penn State was also riding high after ousting Northwestern and then-No. 20 Washington on Oct. 9 and 11, respectively.
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“We did everything really well, really simply,” said coach Matt Werle. “We were very disciplined. It was a matter of whether we follow through with the execution of the scouting report.”
But UCLA was missing its starting libero.
Senior libero Kat Lutz subbed in for junior libero Lola Schumacher after the Carmel, Indiana, local suffered a leg injury against Maryland on Oct. 9. Schumacher was ruled out for the weekend.
The Bruins put not one but two girls in alternate jerseys – Lutz and freshman libero Presley Thompson.
But the squad stuck to Lutz for the entire matchup, who logged back-to-back digs against opposite Kennedy Martin in the first two plays of the game. Even when out of rotation, the Del Mar, California, local kept the ball in play by taking initiative on the second ball. Lutz ended the night with a career-high 28 digs and a perfect serve game with 4 aces on 24 serves.
“I’m able to do my job because our blockers are creating seams,” Lutz said. “They make it super easy for us littles back there, and it gives our team a chance to go hit in transition.”
When the Nittany Lions attempted to find an open spot in the first set, it fell right into the forearms of a Bruin. However, opposite Kennedy Martin held down Penn State’s offense with 25 kills on a .294 hitting percentage. The three AVCA All-America honor selections average five kills a set at a .326 clip for the season.
Both teams were aggressive in close quarters, jousting at every tight ball. Junior setter Kate Duffey fought to avoid a net violation due to tight passes by the backcourt, totaling 48 assists.
Even when pushed tight to the net, Duffey maintained a quick tempo with her hitters. Slides and quicks were frequent throughout the match, preventing Penn State’s blockers from contesting the Bruins’ offense.
“She has a really locked-in mentality,” said freshman middle blocker Brooke Harwood, referring to Duffey’s play style. “We make eye contact in the back of the court, knowing that we are gonna get this connection.”
The momentum shifted in the second and third sets, with the Nittany Lions’ hitters finding holes in the Bruins’ blocks. UCLA’s serve game allowed them to come within a couple of points, but with multiple hitting errors disrupting the squad’s rhythm, it was not enough to take either set.
The fourth set came down to the wire. After challenges on both sides of the net and multiple lead changes, it was the Bruins who closed out with a score of 26-24. Senior outside hitter Maggie Li pushed the squad to a fifth set, recording 17 kills on a .261 hitting percentage throughout all five sets.
With a near-perfect serve game and a resilient fight, the Bruins secured the win 15-12.
And UCLA will seek another home victory against Ohio State on Sunday.
“I haven’t watched much of Ohio State,” Werle said. I haven’t done a scout on them yet, but I’ll watch a bit of this match, try to decompress a bit and then move forward to the next day.”
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