Match Stats
- Arizona def. #10 UCLA 3-0 (28-26, 25-21, 25-20)
- Arizona moves to 16-10 (8-6 Pac-12), UCLA falls to 18-5 (9-4 Pac-12)
- McKale Center, Tucson, Arizona (Arizona hosted)
On a night where Arizona honored and recognized head coach Dave Rubio’s 25th anniversary with the program in front of 2,430 fans, the Arizona Wildcats picked up a huge win over #10 UCLA. The victory was Arizona’s first over a top 10 team since 2014.
“Tonight means a lot because of the recognition of my 25th year here at the U of A,” said Rubio. “The players were extra motivated and played well. It was a terrific night, all the way around.”
The win was Arizona’s 6th over a ranked team in the last 5 weeks and their first season-sweep of UCLA since 2011. For the first time in school history, the Wildcats completed a SoCal sweep of USC and UCLA, emerging a perfect 4-0.
Kalei Mau had 21 kills for Arizona, hitting .367. That’s the 6th-most kills in a three-set match by a Pac-12 player this season.
“I know I should play like this every night,” said Mau, a senior. “But I definitely had a little extra playing for Dave tonight. I owe so much to him and I wanted this to be an extra special match for him.”
The Wildcats also had a big day defensively, recording 78 digs in 3 sets. That’s the 4th-most in a three-set Division I match so far this season.
After the loss, and with other results from around the Pac-12 on Friday, there is now a 4-way tie atop the Pac-12.
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Courtesy Arizona Athletics:
TUCSON, Ariz. — What started out as a special night for head coach Dave Rubio and the Arizona volleyball program, turned into one for the history books on Friday night in front of a season-high 2,430 fans at McKale Center.
The team honored Coach Rubio in a pregame ceremony, celebrating his 25th anniversary as the Wildcats’ head coach with many former Wildcats in attendance. On the court, the Cats, looking for their first win over a top-10 team since 2014 and first season sweep of USC and UCLA, made Rubio’s night even more memorable, taking down ninth-ranked UCLA in straight sets (28-26, 25-21, 25-20).
“Tonight means a lot because of the recognition of my 25th year here at the U of A,” said Rubio. “The players were extra motivated and played well. It was a terrific night, all the way around.”
The victory gave Arizona its sixth victory over a ranked team in the last five weeks and a season sweep over the Bruins for the first time since 2011. Arizona is now 4-0 vs. USC and UCLA for the first time in school history. The Wildcats improved to 16-10 (8-6 Pac-12) with the victory while the Bruins, whose only two losses in their last nine matches have come to Arizona, fell to 18-5 (9-4 Pac-12).
Kalei Mau was spectacular for Arizona on Friday night, posting 21 kills, the sixth-most in a three-set match in the Pac-12 this year, on .367 hitting. The senior added a team-high 18 digs for UA.
“I know I should play like this every night,” said Mau, a senior. “But I definitely had a little extra playing for Dave tonight. I owe so much to him and I wanted this to be an extra special match for him.”
The last time these teams met, Arizona and UCLA combined for over 200 digs. Tonight, in two fewer sets, Arizona outdug UCLA 78-71. Arizona’s 78 digs are the most by any Pac-12 team this year in a three-set match and fourth highest in the NCAA.
Penina Snuka put up double-double No. 18 on the season (including nine straight matches) with 36 assists and 17 digs while Laura Larson, who is averaging more than 4.5 digs the last five matches, added 16 for UA.
The Cats outhit UCLA in the match, .236-.134, much thanks to Mau’s 21 kill, three error night.
Devyn Cross was in on four of Arizona’s seven blocks for the match. The Cats outblocked UCLA, 7.0-6.0.
After erasing a six-point deficit in the first set to win the first set vs. USC on Wednesday, the Cats posted another first-set comeback to win the opener vs. UCLA. UA was down 10-5 and later 18-14 and stormed back to earn a set point at 24-23. The teams went back-and-forth, with UCLA fighting off three UA set points and Arizona fighting off one UCLA set point. Arizona scored the final three points to win the first 28-26. The teams combined for 56 digs in the opening set. Kalei Mau notched a match-high eight kills.
It was Arizona who opened an early lead in the second set, carrying the momentum from the first to a 7-2 advantage early in the second. The Bruins fought back, but Arizona was able to withstand UCLA’s runs, holding on to a 25-21 win to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
Mau led the Cats again in the third, posting seven kills and six digs as the Cats won the set 25-20 to sweep the match.
UP NEXT: The Wildcats take their hot streak on the road, where two ranked opponents await. UA faces Washington (Thursday) and Washington State (Sunday) in what could be a pair of top-25 showdowns.
FOLLOW THE CATS: For continued coverage of Arizona volleyball, follow the team on Twitter and Instagram (@ArizonaVBall).
Courtesy UCLA Athletics:
TUCSON, Ariz. – Senior Taylor Formico notched her third match in a row with at least 20 digs, posting 21, junior Ryann Chandler added a double-double with 14 assists and 14 digs and freshman Torrey Van Winden notched 14 digs, eight kills and two aces, but the ninth-ranked Bruins were swept at Arizona on Friday night. Set scores were 26-28, 21-25, 20-25.
UCLA (18-5, 9-4 Pac-12), which saw its six-match winning streak come to an end, hit just .134. Junior Reily Buechler was the lone Bruin in double figures in kills with 10, adding seven digs. Seniors Jordan Anderson and Jennie Frager each had six kills, while senior Claire Felix added five. Freshman Kylie Miller recorded 16 assists and seven digs and sophomore Zana Munotallied six digs.
The Bruins led throughout most of the first set, but the Wildcats responded late and won the opener in overtime. UCLA raced out to a 10-5 lead on kills by Frager, Muno, Chandler, Van Winden and Buechler, a Formico ace and four Arizona errors. After the Wildcats evened things up at 12- and 13-all, the Bruins went on a 5-1 run on kills from Anderson, Van Winden and Felix and two Arizona errors. UCLA led by four as late as 21-17 before Arizona posted a 6-1 run to go up 23-22. The Bruins would save two Wildcat set points, and even had one of their own at 26-25, but Arizona netted the last three of the set to win it 28-26. Van Winden had five kills to lead the Bruins, while Frager added three. Formico recorded nine digs, Chandler had six and Muno posted four. The Bruins were out-hit .196 to .154.
Arizona took an early lead of 8-3 in the second before UCLA made a comeback. Down 13-10, the Bruins scored eight of 12 to take an 18-17 edge. Buechler was key during the run with three kills and a solo block, while Felix added two kills and a solo roof. It was all Wildcats after that though, as the home squad went on an 8-3 run to take the second 25-21. Buechler recorded seven of the Bruins’ 12 kills in the second. Formico and Van Winden each had five digs and Chandler posted four. The Bruins were out-hit .292 to .167.
The Bruins’ largest lead of set three was two points. Trailing 9-8, a Frager/Van Winden block, a Buechler kill and a Van Winden ace put the visitors up 11-9. UCLA led by two as late as 15-13, but six in a row for the home team put the Wildcats up for good. The Bruins could muster just five points the rest of the way in dropping the third 25-20. Anderson had three kills, Formico posted seven digs, Van Winden had six digs and Chandler added four digs. The Bruins were out-hit .227 to .083.
UCLA heads to Tempe to battle Arizona State on Saturday at 6 p.m. The match will air on Pac-12 Network Los Angeles.
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