The Arizona Wildcats volleyball team was unable to get it done in their second match of the season against UCLA, falling to the No. 18 Bruins again, 3-1. Arizona tried to bring home a win against USC, but fell once again to the No. 17 Trojans in a close match, 3-2.
Bruins leave Arizona in the dust
For the majority of set one was close between the team, until UCLA went on a 7-0 run to put them up 10. The Bruins never looked back taking the first set, 25-14. Arizona battled back in the second set keeping the Bruins fighting, but UCLA was able to outlast the Wildcats to take set two, 29-27.
The Cats got their lone set win of the match in set three, 25-21. But Arizona’s defense was unable to keep the Bruins from scoring over the net in set four. UCLA closed the match as they won the set, 25-9 to win the match 3-1.
For Arizona, junior outside hitter Kendra Dahlke posted 16-kills to go along with 10-digs. Redshirt senior middle blocker McKenzie Jacobson and junior outside hitter Tyler Spriggs both posted 10-kills on the night, with Jacobson also leading the team in blocks with five.
For UCLA, senior outside hitter Reily Buechler and freshman outside hitter Mac May had 16-kills apiece. Junior defensive specialist/libero Zana Muno posted 21 digs.
Arizona unable to defeat Trojans
Arizona battled in the first set against the Trojans keeping the score close throughout the set, but USC was able to seal deal by scoring the last three points to take set one, 25-20.
Arizona took a tightly contested set two, 25-23, and edged out USC in another close set, 26-24, putting them up in the match 2-1.
In yet another back and forth battle, USC took set four, 25-22, to send the match into the deciding fifth set. The ‘Cats hoped to bring home a win for Arizona against the Trojans, but USC was able to carry over their momentum and win the set, 15-11 taking the match, 3-2.
For the Wildcats, Dahlke and Spriggs each had 16-kills, with Dahlke adding eight digs. Sophomore setter Julia Patterson posted 52 assists, along with six digs and two kills.
For USC, sophomore outside hitter Khalia Lanier, who came into the match as No. 5 in the Pac-12 in kills, posted 16 along with nine digs.
With the loss, the Wildcats now sit at a record of 9-14, 3-11 in the conference, and look to bounce back this week as they welcome the Oregon schools to Tucson. First up is Oregon State on Thursday, Nov. 9 at 8 p.m.
Follow Noah Auclair on Twitter
