Buechler Leads #12 UCLA to Straight-Set Victory over #23 San Diego

MATCH STATS

• No. 12 UCLA def. No. 23 San Diego 3-0 (25-16, 25-12, 25-22)
• UCLA moves to 1-0; San Diego drops to 0-1
• Honolulu, Hawaii
• Box Score
• VolleyMob Rankings

HONOLULU, Hawai’i – Thanks to a match-leading 13 kills and seven digs from senior outside Reily Buechler, the UCLA Bruins swept San Diego in straight sets to open their 2017 season. Sophomore Madeline Gates was a force for the Bruins in the middle, putting up career bests in both kills (9) and blocks (10).

Senior setter Sarah Sponcil, who played her first three collegiate seasons for Loyola-Marymount, had an impressive night at the Stan Sheriff Center as well, recording 30 assists, six digs and five blocks in her first match as a Bruin.

In the back row, sophomore defensive specialist Savvy Simo and junior libero Zana Muno had seven and six digs respectively.

San Diego’s offense was paced by redshirt junior middle, Kaity Edwards, who put down nine kills and hit at a .375 clip. While six different Toreros had at least four kills, two recorded negative hitting percentages and the team combined only hit .083 for the match.

The first set was never in question after UCLA scored three consecutive points on a Buechler kill and two aces from junior Kyra Rogers to jump out to an insurmountable 16-10 lead. In the second, the Bruins broke a 5-5 tie and won going away. The third set remained competitive throughout and was tied 22-22 on a kill by Torero opposite Jayden Kennedy before UCLA scored the next three points on a two kills and a block assist from Buechler.

UCLA continues play at the Stan Sheriff Center on Saturday with a 7:45 p.m. PT match against the Marquette Golden Eagles (1-0). The Toreros take on Hawaii (0-1) at 10 p.m. PT.

PRESS RELEASES

(Courtesy UCLA Athletics)

HONOLULU, Hawai’i – Senior Reily Buechler led all players with 13 kills to go with seven digs, while sophomore Madeleine Gates posted a career-high nine kills and 10 blocks, as 13th-ranked UCLA swept #22 San Diego on Friday night at the Stan Sheriff Center. Set scores were 25-16, 25-12, 25-22, as the Bruins recorded their fifth-straight, season-opening sweep and their 19th-consecutive, season-opening win.

The Bruins hit .344 for the match thanks to Buechler, who hit .414 (one error in 29 attempts) and Gates, who hit .500 (one error in 16 swings). In her collegiate debut, freshman Mac May had eight kills and six digs. Senior Sarah Sponcil notched 30 assists, six digs and five blocks in her first match as a Bruin, junior Kyra Rogers had four kills in an error-less 10 swings (.400) with five blocks and freshman Jenny Mosser recorded four kills. In the back row, sophomore Savvy Simo had seven digs, while junior Zana Muno added six. UCLA had 16 blocks, more than it had in any match a year ago.

The Bruins never trailed in taking the opening set. UCLA scored four of the first five on two Mosser kills, one by Buechler and a San Diego attack error. The Toreros closed to within one on a pair of occasions, but were not able to get back to even. At 5-4, Gates was in on three scoring plays on a kill and two combo blocks with Sponcil to go with a USD error. With the score 13-10, a Buechler kill and back-to-back aces by Rogers gave the Bruins a 16-10 lead, prompting a USD timeout.

Following a sideout after that breather, a Gates kill, a USD attack error and another Gates/Sponcil roof made it 19-11. After another USD sideout, consecutive Buechler kills gave the Bruins a set-best lead of nine. Kills by Mosser and Buechler wrapped up the 25-16 win. Buechler led UCLA with five kills, while Gates, May and Mosser each had three kills. The Bruins out-hit the Toreros .480 to .200.

The Bruins surrendered the first three points of set two, but quickly went on runs of 5-1, 13-2 and 17-3 to break things open. UCLA had seven blocks during the 17-3 run, as Gates was a part of four combo blocks, also adding two kills during the run.

The lead stayed in double digits the rest of the way. At 21-11, kills by Rogers, Gates and Buechler gave the Bruins a bunch of set points, with a USD attack error finishing up a 25-12 win. Buechler, Gates and Rogers all had three kills in the second, while Gates had four blocks. The Bruins hit .370 and held the Toreros to a -.071 percentage.

The third set featured six ties, but the Bruins would come back to finish off the sweep. Trailing by as many as five at 14-9, the Bruins went on a 7-1 run to take their first advantage of the set and the lead for good. Gates (two kills, one solo block, one combo roof), Buechler (one kill, one ace) and May (one kill, one combo block) combined for the 7-1 run.

San Diego tied things back up at 16, but a 4-1 run on a Gates kill, a Rogers/Sponcil block and two Torero errors made it 20-17. USD again evened the score at 22, but a Buechler kill and a Buechler/Gates block gave the Bruins match point, and Buechler’s 13th kill of the contest ended the third with a 25-22 win. Buechler led UCLA with five kills and four digs, while Gates and May each had three kills. Simo added four digs. The Bruins out-hit the Toreros .237 to .162.

(Courtesy University of San Diego athletics)

HONOLULU, Hawai’i – The No. 22 Torero volleyball team fell to No. 13 UCLA 3-0 in their season opener Friday evening. As part of the Texaco Rainbow Wahine Invitational on the campus of the University of Hawai’i, the Toreros were ousted 16-25, 12-25, 22-25.

Kaity Edwards led the Toreros with nine kills, hitting at a .375 clip (9-for-16). Jayden Kennedy chipped in eight kills and freshman Roxie Wiblin led USD with nine digs while adding five kills. Kristen Gengenbacher had 18 assists and Anna Newsome totaled 15.

As a team, the Toreros had an attack percentage of .083 while the Bruins hit .344. USD was out-blocked 16-3, but recorded 35 digs to UCLA’s 33.

UCLA was led by Reily Buechler’s 13 kills (.414). Madeline Gates added nine kills and provided 10 total blocks. Sarah Sponcil, a LMU transfer, recorded 30 assists.

In the first set, the Toreros hung tight with the Bruins and trailed 13-10, but UCLA then went on a 12-6 run to grab the first set.

In the third set, USD held a 15-11 lead, but the Bruins responded with a 5-0 run to take the lead. A Jayden Kennedy kill tied the set at 22-22, however the Bruins scored three straight points to close out the match.