UCLA
Stanford
17th-Ranked Bruins Challenge Cardinal, but Fall in Four at #1 Stanford
October 25, 2014 | Women's Volleyball
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STANFORD, Calif. - Senior Karsta Lowe led three Bruins in double figures in kills with 26, freshman Reily Buechler added 16 and redshirt sophomore Haley Lawless posted 13, but the 17th-ranked Bruins dropped a four-set decision to top-ranked Stanford on Friday at Maples Pavilion. Set scores were 20-25, 28-30, 25-20, 25-27.
Lowe, who recorded her 12th match this season with over 20 kills, added eight digs and tied a personal best with three aces. The Bruins (14-6, 5-4 Pac-12) hit .228 for the match and had a season-best 10 aces. Senior Megan Moenoa played three sets and had 31 assists, five digs and tied a career high with three aces, while senior Julie Consani totaled 19 assists in two sets. Defensively, sophomore Taylor Formico had 14 digs, junior Rachel Inouye added seven and junior Karly Drolson posted five.
The only lead for the Bruins in set one was at 2-1, as despite five ties, Stanford won the opener. Equal at five, the home team went on a 6-1 run to go up 11-6. UCLA came back with four of the next five on a Lowe kill, an ace by sophomore Jennie Frager, a Stanford service error and a Lowe ace to get to within a pair at 12-10, but could get no closer than two.
At 19-14, a Frager kill and two in a row from Lowe again put the Bruins to within two, but Stanford maintained the lead to win the opener 25-20. The Cardinal's largest lead was five on several occasions. Lowe paced the Bruins with five kills and three aces, as the Bruins were out-hit .423 to .053.
Set two featured 13 ties and seven lead changes, as the Bruins had a pair of set points, while the Cardinal recorded five. But once again, the home team came out on top in overtime. With Stanford up 8-6, a pair of Lawless kills, with a Lowe kill in between, put the visitors up 9-8. The Cardinal came back with a 4-1 run to go ahead 12-10 and saw their lead grow to as much as four at 22-18. Three in a row for the Bruins on a Stanford service error, a Drolson ace and a Buechler kill cut UCLA's deficit to one at 22-21.
Down two set points at 24-22, a Buechler kill and a Frager/Lowe block evened the score at 24, while a Cardinal attack error gave the Bruins a set point. Stanford scored the next two, but UCLA saved set point three and four on a pair of Lowe kills to tie it at 27. A Lawless kill gave the Bruins a second set point, but the Cardinal closed things out with three in a row to win the second 30-28. Lowe led the Bruins with seven kills, Buechler added five and Lawless recorded four. The Bruins were out-hit .370 to .250.
Stanford's largest lead in set three was just one, as the Bruins pulled out the third to keep the match alive. Down 4-3, two Buechler kills, with a Lowe kill in between, put the visitors up 6-4. Stanford tied it at six, but a 6-2 UCLA run on two Lawless kills, kills from Buechler and Lowe and aces by Moenoa and Inouye put the Bruins on top 12-8.
Still up by four at 18-14, the Cardinal got to within one at 18-17, but could not even the score. At 21-19, the Bruins scored four of the last five of the third on two attack errors and two Buechler kills to win the set 25-20. Lowe paced the Bruins with six kills, while Buechler and Lawless each had five. Formico added five digs, as the Bruins out-hit the Cardinal .382 to .312.
Stanford held an early 7-4 lead in set four, when UCLA responded with a 4-1 run on two Buechler kills, a Moenoa ace and a Cardinal attack error to tie the score at eight. Stanford charged back with a 6-2 run to go up 14-10 and still led 17-16 when UCLA fought back. A 6-1 Bruin run on two Buechler kills, an ace and kill by Moenoa and kills by Frager and Lowe put UCLA up 22-18.
The Bruins still led by four at 23-19, but the Cardinal scored the next four to even things at 23. A Lowe kill gave the Bruins set point, but Stanford saved it. Another Lowe kill gave the Bruins a second set point, but the Cardinal scored the next three to win the fourth 27-25. Lowe led the Bruins with eight kills, Buechler added four and Lawless recorded three. The Bruins were out-hit .257 to .238.
The Bruins travel to Berkeley to take on California on Sunday at 3 p.m. The match will be televised live on Pac-12 Networks.
