University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
12-4, 3-3Pac-12
Arizona
12-6, 4-2Pac-12
Arizona Comes Back to Beat #18 UCLA in Five
October 09, 2016 | Women's Volleyball
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LOS ANGELES - Senior Taylor Formico set a new career high as a Bruin with 36 digs, adding eight assists, while junior Ryann Chandler (26 assists, 10 digs) and freshman Kylie Miller (23 assists, 12 digs) each posted double-doubles, but the 18th-ranked Bruins dropped a five-set decision to Arizona on Sunday at Pauley Pavilion. Set scores were 25-18, 25-17, 16-25, 21-25, 12-15.
Three Bruins (12-4, 3-3 Pac-12) had double figures in kills, as freshman Torrey Van Winden had a team- and career-best 16, also setting a personal high with seven digs and tying a season best with four blocks. Junior Reily Buechler added 14 kills and seven digs, while senior Jordan Anderson posted 12 kills and five digs. Senior Claire Felix had eight kills in an error-free 22 attempts, sophomore Zana Muno notched seven kills and 12 digs and freshman Savvy Simo tallied nine digs. The Bruins hit .218 for the match.
UCLA scored four of the first five points of the match on kills by Muno and Buechler, a Felix/Van Winden block and two Arizona errors before the visitors responded with an 8-4 run to take a 9-8 edge. At 16-all, five in a row for the Bruins on two Anderson kills, a Miller ace and two Wildcat miscues put the home squad up by five. The Wildcats forced the Bruins into a timeout after cutting the deficit to 21-18, but UCLA netted the final four on kills by Anderson and Van Winden, a Felix/Van Winden block and an Anderson kill to close out a 25-18 victory. Formico notched her 38th match in a row with double figures in digs in the first set alone with 10, while Miller added six. Anderson had six kills and four digs, Van Winden was error-free with four kills in 11 attempts and three digs, Buechler had three kills and four digs and Muno posted three kills. The Bruins out-hit the Wildcats .260 to .104.
The Bruins never trailed in the second set. They scored seven of the first nine on two kills and a block solo by Anderson, two Van Winden kills, a Miller ace and an Arizona error. UCLA's lead remained between three and eight for the rest of the set, as the Bruins eventually won it 25-17 on a Formico ace. Buechler was error-free with four kills in five attempts in the second, while Anderson added three kills. Formico tallied five digs. The Bruins out-hit the Wildcats .500 to .214.
Arizona began its comeback in the third. Even at three, the Bruins scored four of five on a Van Winden kill and combo block with senior Jennie Frager and two Wildcat errors. However, Arizona responded with six straight and never looked back, going on to win the third 25-16. Formico had another set with double figures in digs with 11, while Buechler added three kills, as the Bruins were out-hit .204 to .098.
UCLA's largest lead in the fourth set was one on four occasions, but the Wildcats forced a fifth set. With the Bruins up 17-16, Arizona scored four in a row to go ahead 20-17. The Bruins could get no closer than two the rest of the way, as the Wildcats took the fourth 25-21. Formico added seven more digs in the fourth, Muno had six, Van Winden posted seven kills and Buechler had three, as the Bruins were out-hit .277 to .250.
Arizona raced out to an early 4-1 lead in set five before the Bruins scored four in a row on a kill by Muno, a combo block by Muno and freshman Madeleine Gates and two UA errors. The Bruins still led as late as 8-7 before Arizona scored two in a row to go up 9-8. Despite two more ties at nine and 10, Arizona netted five of the last seven points of the match to take the fifth 15-12. Chandler and Formico each had three digs in the set, as the Bruins were out-hit .200 to .077.
The Bruins have a quick turnaround and will play at #20 Oregon on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The match will air on Pac-12 Network National and Los Angeles.
