UCLA
Texas A&M
Women's Volleyball Downs No. 19 Texas A&M
September 03, 2000 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 3, 2000
HONOLULU, HI - Kristee Porter led the way for UCLA on Sunday night at the Stan Sherriff Center, as the Bruin junior posted a UCLA-record 33 kills in a 15-2, 10-15, 15-11, 15-8 win over No. 19 Texas A&M. With the victory, UCLA improves to 3-1 on the season, while the Aggies complete their Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic with a 1-2 record.
UCLA made quick work of the first game of the match, coming out of the gate with a .552 team hitting percentage. Porter capitalized on seven kills in an error-free first game. The Bruins opened with a 6-0 lead, and after two quick points from the Aggies, got back on a roll to finish it out at 15-2.
The Aggies refused to go as quietly in game two. Texas A&M opened with a 4-0 run behind the service of setter Jenna Moscovic, and progressed from there. Among numerous sideouts, the Aggie lead improved to 12-3 before UCLA head coach Andy Banachowski called his first time out of the game. From there, the Bruins scrapped back to within six points at 13-7. Banachowski called his final timeout with Texas A&M at game point (14-7), at which time Porter and Ashsley Bowles were both in double figures with 15 and 12 kills, respectively.
UCLA fought back to 14-9 with Porter at the service line before the Aggies stopped the game with their first timeout. It took Texas A&M a total of four game points before they could close it out at 15-10 and send the teams to the locker room with the match tied at one game apiece. Unforced errors hurt the Bruins once again, as they had just one service ace as opposed to five service errors in the game.
That trend continued into the third game, as two more service errors were a factor in Texas A&M starting out with a 6-0 lead in the third game. The Aggie lead extended to 10-5, before the Bruins began to storm back into the game. With freshmen Krystal McFarland and Alyssa Rylander on the floor, UCLA brought the game back to a slim 11-9 Aggie lead. When Michelle Quon and Elisabeth Bachman rotated back into the game, the Bruins tied it up, and took a 12-11 lead with Bowles at the service line, forcing Texas A&M into their final timeout of the game. The timeout didn't help, as Bowles was able to serve out the game with help from a double block by Bachman and Porter and a solo block by Bachman to end the game 15-11, and give the Bruins a 2-1 edge in the match.
The Aggies came out hot again in game four, starting with a 4-0 lead. UCLA fought back, taking its first lead at 8-7 on a service ace by Bowles and forcing the television timeout. On the way to tying the game, Porter recorded her 30th kill of the match, the second time this season and 10th time in her career that she has reached that plateau.
Porter didn't stop there, and neither did the Bruins. With Rylander at the service line, UCLA stormed to an 11-7 lead, forcing an Aggie timeout. While still in the front row, Porter notched kills 31 and 32, then promptly stepped back to the service line and aced Texas A&M's Christy Clark. That ace, the seventh of the match for the Bruins, brought the score to 13-7 and led the Aggies to take their last timeout. Five sideouts ensued, but the Bruins closed it out with Bowles at the service line. Porter notched her 33rd kill, a new UCLA record for a four-game match, for the Bruins 14th point, and a hitting error by ErinGibson ended the match with a 15-8 fourth game win.
"I was pleased with the way we fought back tonight," said UCLA head coach Andy Banachowski, "particularly in the third game. We could have lost control control of the match at that point, but instead we took control. Each match at this point helps the team put things together a little more, so I think we'll look back on this as a good win for us tonight."
In addition to setting a new UCLA four-game record with 33 kills on the evening, Porter accumulated an astonishing .483 hitting percentage with 58 swings and just five errors. She and Bowles were also tied for the team lead with three service aces and contributed with nine digs and three block assists. Setter Erika Selsor posted 70 assists on the evening, her eighth career match of 70 or more assists, and the fourth time in her career that she has had exactly 70 assists.
Leading the way for the Bruins in blocking were the team's two middle blockers, Bachman and Ella Harley, who had five blocks apiece. Bachman's totals included two solo blocks and three block assists, while Harley had one solo an four assists on the evening.
Joining Porter in double-figure kills was Bowles with 20, and three Bruins had double-figure digs, led by Bowles with 15, and defensive specialists Michelle Quon and Stacey Lee with 10 apiece.
UCLA will conclude its Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic schedule on Monday night, Sept. 4, when the Bruins face off against host Hawai'i. The match is set for 5 p.m. HT, and will decide the tournament champion. The match will be broadcast live on www.uclabruins.com
