UCLA
Arizona State
17th-Ranked Bruins Fall in Five at #22 Arizona State
November 27, 2014 | Women's Volleyball
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2014 UCLA Women's Volleyball Media Guide
TEMPE, Ariz. - Senior Karsta Lowe recorded her second double-double in a row with 24 kills and 13 digs, while sophomore Taylor Formico had a season-best 25 digs, but the 17th-ranked Bruins dropped a five-set decision at #22 Arizona State on Wednesday at Wells Fargo Arena. Set scores were 25-21, 20-25, 25-16, 20-25, 14-16.
Lowe's seventh double-double of the season was also the ninth of her career, surpassing the 20-kill mark for the 18th time and third straight, while Formico reached the 20-dig total for the third time this year. Freshman Reily Buechler recorded 14 kills, sophomore Claire Felix had eight kills and sophomore Olga Strantzali tallied six kills. The Bruins (19-11, 10-9 Pac-12) hit .155 for the match.
Junior Rachel Inouye was the third Bruin to reach double figures in digs with 10. Senior Megan Moenoa had 53 assists and eight digs, junior Karly Drolson tallied nine digs and senior Zoë Nightingale posted a season-best nine blocks to go with three kills and five digs.
The first set featured 10 ties and six lead changes. With the Bruins up 5-4, a 5-0 Arizona State run put the home team up 9-5. The Sun Devils (19-12, 9-10) still led 11-7, but the Bruins came back with a 6-1 run to go up 13-12. Kills by Lowe and Nightingale opened the run, and after a sideout, a Buechler kill, two in a row for Lowe and a kill by redshirt sophomore Haley Lawless put UCLA up by one.
ASU responded with the next three and an 8-4 run to take a 20-17 edge. However, UCLA scored eight of the last nine points of the opener to win the first 25-21. A service error and a Buechler solo block got the run started, and after a sideout, a Lowe kill and Arizona State attack error evened the score at 21. Three straight Lowe kills gave the Bruins set point and a Lowe/Nightingale block wrapped up the four-point win. Lowe led the Bruins with seven kills, while Buechler added three. Formico posted six digs, as the Bruins out-hit the Sun Devils .237 to .054.
The Bruins started strong in set two with four of the first five points on two Nightingale solo blocks, a Lowe kill and an ASU error. The Sun Devils bounced back with runs of 10-3 and 18-6 to go up by a set-best nine at 19-10.
With the score 24-16, the Bruins saved four set points on two ASU errors and kills by Lowe and Buechler, but the fifth time was the charm, as Arizona State won the second 25-20. Buechler and Lowe each had four kills in the second, while Formico and Lowe both added six digs, as the Bruins were out-hit .262 to .130.
Arizona State held an early 7-6 lead in set three, but five in a row for the Bruins put them up 11-7. UCLA had two Formico aces, two ASU errors and a Moenoa/Nightingale block during the run. The Sun Devils closed the gap to one at 12-11 and 13-12, but could not square the score. At 16-14, the Bruins scored nine of the last 11 points to win the third 25-16.
The run began on a Felix kill, an ASU attack error and a Drolson ace. The Sun Devils scored two of the next three, but those points would be the last of the set for the home team. The last five points came on two Buechler kills, a Nightingale block and back-to-back Moenoa aces to end the set. Buechler led the Bruins with four kills, while Strantzali added three. UCLA had five aces and out-hit Arizona State .222 to .067.
The Bruins never led in set four. There were three ties through the first six points, but Arizona State scored nine of the next 11 points to break it open, 12-5. The Sun Devils' biggest lead was nine on several occasions.
Trailing 19-10, a 6-1 UCLA run cut the deficit to four. Lowe had two kills during the run, Strantzali added a kill and teamed up on a block with Nightingale, who also had a block with Buechler. But the Bruins could get no closer than four, dropping the set 25-20. Lowe had seven kills, while Formico added seven digs, as the Bruins were out-hit .303 to .091.
The Bruins held the lead throughout most of the fifth set, but the Sun Devils came back late to win the match. Equal at three, UCLA scored four of five on kills by Lowe, Strantzali and Felix and an ASU attack error to go up 7-4.
Twelve sideouts later, the Bruins still led by three at 13-10, but Arizona State scored four straight to earn a match point. A Felix kill saved the first attempt to tie the score at 14, but Arizona State tallied the next two to win the fifth 16-14. Lowe had five kills and Formico added five digs, as the Bruins were out-hit .217 to .083.
The Bruins host USC on Friday at 8:30 p.m. in a match which will be broadcast live on ESPNU and also feature free audio and live stats at UCLABruins.com. Seniors Lowe, Moenoa, Nightingale and Julie Consani will be honored in a ceremony following Friday's match.
