University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
Utah
Season Bests for Felix in Win at Utah
October 10, 2015 | Women's Volleyball
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SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Junior Jordan Anderson led the 12th-ranked Bruins with 18 kills and six digs, while junior Claire Felix had season bests in kills (11) and hitting percentage (.667), as UCLA defeated Utah in four sets on Friday at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Set scores were 17-25, 25-12, 25-15, 25-16.
The Bruins improved to 12-3 overall and 3-2 in Pac-12 play, while the Utes fell to 7-9 and 1-4 in league action.
Felix had only one error in 15 attempts to go with five blocks. Three other Bruins posted at least eight kills. Sophomore Reily Buechler recorded nine with just one error in 22 attempts (.364), adding nine digs in just three sets. Junior Jennie Frager notched eight kills and four blocks, while redshirt junior Haley Lawless had eight kills.
Redshirt sophomore Ryann Chandler set the Bruins to a .258 hitting percentage, recording 48 assists, six digs and four blocks. Junior Taylor Formico had 16 digs and two service aces and senior Karly Drolson notched six digs.
The Bruins had only one lead in the opening set, 1-0, after a Utah service error to start the match. The Utes scored the next three and UCLA was unable to get even for the rest of the set. The Bruins were within three late in the set at 20-17, but Utah recorded the final five points to take it 25-17. Anderson and Frager each had three kills in the first, junior Jessyka Ngauamo added five digs and Formico notched four, as the Bruins hit -.053 to Utah's .194.
Set number two was a complete 180 for the Bruins, who more than doubled up the Utes to even the match. The Bruins trailed 4-3 before scoring four in a row on two Utah attack errors, a Buechler kill and a Frager ace to go up 7-4. Utah scored the next two to get to within one, but could get no closer, as a 4-1 UCLA run on kills by Buechler, Felix and Anderson and a Ute service error made it 11-7.
But that was just the beginning for the Bruins. At 11-8, UCLA finished the set on a 14-4 run to rout the Utes in the second. Ten straight points on a Felix kill, back-to-back Formico aces, consecutive Frager kills, an Anderson kill, back-to-back Utah attack errors, another Anderson kill and a Chandler/Frager block made it 21-8. The Bruins' biggest lead was 14 at 23-9, as they won the second 25-12. Anderson and Frager again paced the Bruins with four kills each, while Buechler added three with four digs. Formico notched four digs and two aces, as UCLA out-hit Utah .423 to -.034.
UCLA never trailed in the third set, scoring four of the first five on two Anderson kills, one by Frager and a Buechler solo block. At 5-3, a Buechler kill, a Chandler/Frager roof and a Utah attack error extended the advantage to five. With the score 13-10, the Bruins went on a 7-1 run to break it open. A Buechler kill and back-to-back Utah errors made it 16-10.
After a sideout, another Utah attack error, consecutive Buechler kills and a Buechler/Felix combo block made it 20-11. Ahead 22-15, an Anderson kill and back-to-back roofs by Frager and Lawless finished up the 25-15 victory. Anderson paced the Bruins with six kills, while Buechler added five kills and four digs. The Bruins out-hit the Utes .400 to .061.
The Bruins only trailed once in the fourth to finish the win. With UCLA up 10-7, the Utes scored four straight to take an 11-10 edge. However, the Bruins responded with a 10-2 run to go up 20-13. A Lawless kill, a Felix solo block and a Utah attack error made it 13-11. After a sideout, a Lawless kill, two Felix kills and a Ute error increased the lead to five.
Following another sideout, a Felix kill, a Chandler/Felix block and a Utah attack error upped it to 20-13. Utah scored the next two, but UCLA took a set-best, nine-point lead on a Felix kill, back-to-back kills by Anderson and a Ute attack error to earn nine match points. And not surprisingly, it was Anderson who closed things out to give the Bruins a 25-16 win. Anderson and Felix each had five kills, Lawless added four and Formico had five digs. The Bruins out-hit the Utes .367 to .132.
After an off day, the Bruins face Colorado on Sunday at 11 a.m. PT. The match will be broadcast on Pac-12 Networks.
