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Friday, Oct. 2
#5 Washington at #11 UCLA
8 p.m.
Pauley Pavilion
Live TV: Pac-12 Networks
Live Audio/Live Stats: UCLABruins.com
Twitter Updates: @uclawomensvb
Sunday, Oct. 4
Washington State at #11 UCLA
11 a.m.
John Wooden Center
Live Video/Live Stats: UCLABruins.com
Twitter Updates: @uclawomensvb
11TH-RANKED UCLA HOSTS WASHINGTON SCHOOLS
The 11th-ranked Bruins entertain #5 Washington on Friday at 8 p.m. at Pauley Pavilion before hosting Washington State on Sunday at 11 a.m. at the John Wooden Center. Friday's contest will air live on Pac-12 Networks, while Sunday's match will have a live video stream on UCLABruins.com.
TICKETS AND PROMOTIONS
Tickets for this weekend's matches can be purchased in advance online or at the Pauley Pavilion (Friday) or John Wooden Center (Sunday) ticket offices starting an hour before the match. On Sunday, fans wearing their pajamas will get in for free. In addition, the Bruins will hold their first autograph session of the season after the match.
BRUINS ON THE NET
Friday's match will feature live audio and live stats on UCLABruins.com, while Sunday's contest will have a live video stream and live stats. Links are on the women's volleyball schedule page on UCLABruins.com. In addition, Twitter updates will be available @uclawomensvb.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Bruins trek to Utah next Friday, Oct. 9 (5 p.m. PT) before a matchup at Colorado next Sunday, Oct. 11 (11 a.m. PT). Both matches will air on Pac-12 Networks.
BRUINS IN THE POLLS
The Bruins' rise up the polls continues, as UCLA checks in at 11th in this week's AVCA rankings. Since coming in at 25th with just 88 points after the opening weekend, the Bruins have jumped up 14 spots and gained 775 points over the last four polls. UCLA is one of seven Pac-12 teams ranked inside the Top 25 (#2 USC, #5 Washington, #6 Arizona State, #8 Stanford, #14 Arizona and #22 Oregon). Other ranked or receiving votes teams on the Bruins' schedule include #10 Hawai'i, #24 Long Beach State, #29 San Diego and #33 Iowa.
BRUINS IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Bruins rank in the Top 40 nationally in three statistical categories, coming in at 26th in kills per set (14.08), 32nd in assists per set (13.13) and 36th in blocks per set (2.56). Individually, junior Jordan Anderson is 10th in kps (4.67), 17th in points per set (5.05) and 44th in attacks per set (11.18), while junior Jennie Frager is 28th in bps (1.37).
BRUINS IN THE PAC-12 RANKINGS
UCLA comes into this week's action ranked second among conference teams in digs per set (15.51) and fourth in assists (13.13) and kills (14.08) per set. Individually, junior Jordan Anderson is second in kps (4.67) and third in points per set (5.05), while junior Jennie Frager is fifth in blocks per set (1.37). Junior Taylor Formico ranks sixth in dps (3.74), freshman Zana Muno (9.43) and redshirt sophomore Ryann Chandler (7.86) are sixth and nine, respectively, in assists per set and junior Claire Felix is 10th in hitting percentage (.360).
NEWS AND NOTES
The Bruins have won 59 straight matches when hitting .300 or better, including Sept. 5 against Iowa (.305), Sept. 18 at UC Irvine (.317) and Sept. 27 at California (season-best .337). UCLA surpassed the .300 mark 12 times last season and also crossed the .400 hitting plateau on three occasions ... over the last two seasons, the Bruins are 30-0 (9-0 this year) when leading the hitting percentage battle ... UCLA has held its opponents at a .202 hitting percentage or lower in nine of its 10 victories ... junior Jordan Anderson, who leads the Bruins in kills per set and has 11 double-figure kills contests, surpassed the 1,000 kill mark on Sept. 13 at UC Santa Barbara. Anderson, who had 889 kills in two seasons at West Virginia, leads the Bruins with 182 and has 1,071 for her career. Anderson posted her third match with at least 20 kills last Sunday at California, falling two digs shy of a double-double ... sophomore Reily Buechler is tied for the team lead with 10 service aces, having produced a winner in seven of 12 matches. Buechler has double figures in kills in eight contests and hit a season-best .429 at Cal ... redshirt junior Haley Lawless has at least eight kills in seven consecutive matches, averaging 3.00 kills per set during that stretch. She set a new career high with 15 kills at Long Beach State on Sept. 18 ... senior Karly Drolson has a service ace in four straight matches ... junior Claire Felix has recorded at least eight kills and one or no errors in five contests. She leads all hitters with a .360 hitting percentage and has been above that mark four times this season ... freshman Zana Muno has a team-best five double-doubles, including one on Sept. 18 at Long Beach State (25 assists, 17 digs). The Pac-12 Freshman of the Week on Sept. 14 also has aces in three of her last six ... junior Jennie Frager notched a career-best nine blocks at Long Beach State and has a team-leading seven contests with at least five roofs. Over her last three matches, she has 20 blocks, including five solos ... junior Taylor Formico has nine double-figure digs matches and at least eight in every contest. The team leader in dps also has an ace in seven of 12 matches ... senior Rachel Inouye has five double figure digs matches this season, including four in a row from Sept. 6-13. She also has six aces, which is tied for third on the team ... redshirt sophomore Ryann Chandler came into last Sunday's match in relief and produced 36 assists and five digs against California. She set the Bruins to a season-best .337 hitting percentage.
SCOUTING THE WASHINGTON HUSKIES
Washington will be the second straight undefeated team to walk into Pauley Pavilion, bringing a 12-0 record into Friday's match. The Huskies were taken to five sets at Washington State last Thursday before sweeping Colorado at home on Sunday. Washington is averaging 14.31 kills, 1.59 aces, 13.79 digs and 2.97 blocks per set, hitting .361 as a team. Sophomore Courtney Schwan leads the team with 3.53 kps to go with a .415 hitting percentage. Sophomore Tia Scambray is second at 2.58 kps and first with 13 aces. Senior Katy Beals (6.51 assists per set) and sophomore Bailey Tanner (5.24) split the setting duties. Senior Cassie Strickland is tops on the squad with 3.79 dps, while senior Melanie Wade (1.49), senior Lianna Sybeldon (1.33) and sophomore Crissy Jones (1.03) are all above a block per set.
SERIES HISTORY: BRUINS VS. HUSKIES
Washington has won four straight against UCLA, which still holds a 43-24 series advantage. The Bruins are 23-8 at home all-time against the Huskies. Last season, Washington swept UCLA in Westwood (Oct. 31) and came back from two sets down to win in five in Seattle (Oct. 3). The Bruins' last victory against the Huskies was a four-set triumph at home on Oct. 28, 2012.
SCOUTING THE WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS
Washington State, which plays at USC on Friday, brings a 12-2 mark into this week's play. The Cougars nearly knocked off their in-state rival from the ranks of the undefeated in the league opener on Sept. 24, but lost to Washington in five. Washington State followed that up with a home sweep of Utah two days later. The Cougars are averaging 13.07 kills, 1.96 aces, 13.89 digs and 2.88 blocks per set, hitting .220 as a team. Junior Kyra Holt and freshman McKenna Woodford combined are averaging more than half of their team's kps, with Holt first at 4.35 and Woodford second at 3.18. Junior Haley MacDonald quarterbacks the offense and is posting 10.70 assists per set to go with a team-high 22 aces. Senior Kate Sommer is leading the team with 4.43 dps, while freshmen Claire Martin (1.33) and Taylor Mims (1.20) are each averaging over a block per set.
UCLA leads the all-time series with Washington State 51-7 and has won 24 in a row. Last season, the Bruins won in five at home on Nov. 2 and in four in Pullman on Oct. 5. In the first 20 matches of their current winning streak against WSU, the Bruins lost only five sets. However, in the last four contests, the Cougars have taken the Bruins to five sets twice, winning six sets. Washington State's last victory against UCLA was a five-setter on Oct. 25, 2002. The Bruins are 27-2 at home against the Cougars.