Buffs Fall in Sweep to UCLA

BOULDER – The University of Colorado women's volleyball team struggled hitting against UCLA Sunday afternoon in a 3-0 (25-15, 25-23, 25-18) sweep at home.

Colorado (8-8, 0-6 Pac-12) falls to .500 on the season as UCLA (9-6, 4-2 Pac-12) was a hot hitting team with a .340 team hitting percentage led by Mac May's 18 kills and .515 hitting percentage performance. The Buffs hit .121 as a team with 23 attack errors compared to the Bruins nine.

Offense was hard to come by in the match as CU spread the ball around trying to find a solution. Jenna Ewert dished out 28 assists to five different hitters, all of which hit eight or less kills. Justine Spann and Elissa Alcantara each led the team with eight kills with Spann finishing with a negative hitting percentage and Alcantara with a .130. The middles were the only efficient hitters with Meegan Hart putting down seven kills for a .308 hitting percentage and Lillie Klemmer with three kills and a .400 percentage. Sterling Parker added six kills from the right side.

Defensively, Rachel Whipple was benefitting from the CU block getting tips that led her to 18 digs, seven more than any other player in the match. Unfortunately, CU couldn't turn most of those blocks down, recording only three total blocks in the match while UCLA put down eight Colorado attacks for points.

CU also struggled in the serving game, serving for only one ace and four errors while allowing six aces. Those stats didn't make the biggest difference in every set, but the strong UCLA serving put Colorado out of system numerous times.

Colorado is now on the longest losing streak under Head Coach Jesse Mahoney. The team will look to heal quickly and put the slide behind them as they hit the road next Friday and Sunday to take on No.2 Stanford and No.16 California, respectfully.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams traded blows to open the first set, tied 3-3. Colorado was working from a two-point deficit and tied up the score at 6-6. UCLA held Colorado to a .000 hitting percentage holding their lead of 10-7. The next point awarded to the Bruins forced a CU timeout as CU went into the negative hitting percentage. The Bruins held the lead 16-10 while hitting .263 and holding the Buffs to a -.222 hitting percentage, forcing Colorado into their final timeout of the set. A block from UCLA led to set-point which was taken by CU. On the next play the Bruins capitalized on a service error to finish off the set. Mac May led all players with four kills and .667 hitting percentage as UCLA hit .346 and CU hit .000.

CU and UCLA battled early in the second set, tied 3-3. The Buffs put down a three-point run to lead 6-3, then the Bruins responded four-point run to reclaim the lead at 7-6. Ewert stopped the Bruins 5-0 run with a dump making the score 8-7 UCLA. A three-point run from UCLA forced Colorado's first timeout of the set with the Buffs still hitting .000 as a team. The Bruins ended their 4-0 run with an attack error but continued to lead 12-8. After a Sterling kill the Buffs hitting percentage increased to .042 as they trailed the Bruins 14-10. Simo lead the match with seven kills with the Bruins leading 19-16. An ace from Ewert closed in on the UCLA lead by one and forced the Bruins first time-out. A kill from Alcantara and a UCLA ball handling error gave CU a 21-20 lead late in the set. A 3-0 run from the Bruins flipped the lead and forced CU into their last timeout at 23-21. A May kill gave the Bruins set-point, then she finished it off two plays later with another. UCLA led the set with a hitting percentage of .342 behind May's 10 kills and held Colorado to .159 as Whipple led the Buffs with 13 digs.

Into the third set the Buffs and Bruins traded off points and Colorado took a 4-3 lead after a Klemmer and Parker block. UCLA quickly claimed a two-point lead, but the Buffs tied it back up 7-7 after an Alcantara kill. Another Alcantara kill snapped a 3-0 run from the Bruins who led 10-8. UCLA pushed to a 14-12 lead while hitting .294 to Colorado's .333. A Perry ace caused a UCLA challenge that was overturned and added to the Bruins lead, 17-14. A May kill gave UCLA a 20-17 lead, forcing a CU timeout. The run extended to four and CU called their last timeout. Match-point came up for UCLA after a service error from CU. The set resolved two plays later by a Bruins kill. UCLA finished the match hitting .333 behind May's 18 kills and .515 individual hitting percentage. Colorado finished the match hitting .131 with Alcantara and Spann tied for eight kills.

QUOTES
Head Coach Jesse Mahoney

On The Match
"I thought UCLA played really well. I thought we played really poorly in most phases. Serving, passing, blocking. We had 22 attack errors in three sets. You can't survive that way. We hit negative on the left side so it was a frustrating match especially after I felt like we kind of turned the corner on Friday night and played with some energy and some focus. UCLA's a good team. They played really well and we're going to have to find a way to rebound. We have two days of practice before we head to the Bay Area this week. We got to find a way to get a little bit better.

On What They'll Work On In Practice
"Everything we work on is important. We have to get better in all phases. All phases."

Sophomore Meegan Hart

On Her Play And How To Receive The Ball More
"I think it just starts with the pass and getting the set. But I think just confidence and composure all-around in every aspect."

Senior Rachel Whipple

On Positives Of Second Set
"I felt like we had a little bit more energy in the second set. We were playing with some more passion. I felt like none of the sets went very well so it's hard for me to remember but I think we might have passed the best in the second set."

On The Team Helping Her Get Digs
"I think our blocking is giving me good alleys to step in and dig. I definitely feel like I can be doing more and doing my job better."

Next Event

Team Stats

Justine Spann

Elissa Alcantara

Meegan Hart

Sterling Parker

Players Mentioned

Elissa Alcantara

Jenna Ewert

Meegan Hart

Lillie Klemmer

Sterling Parker

Justine Spann

Rachel Whipple

Players Mentioned

Elissa Alcantara

Jenna Ewert

Meegan Hart

Lillie Klemmer

Sterling Parker

Justine Spann

Rachel Whipple