Women’s volleyball takes Oregon Ducks down in four sets
Jennie Frager led the Bruins with 15 kills Friday night. The senior middle blocker only had one error on 22 swings, good for a .636 hitting percentage. (Stella Huang/Daily Bruin)
By Kelsey Angus
Nov. 19, 2016 2:33 p.m.
Jennie Frager averages about eight kills per match but she tallied seven kills in the second set alone Friday night.
“It seems like we have somebody who is on fire every night,” said coach Michael Sealy. “Tonight it was Jennie’s turn.”
The senior middle blocker’s team-high 15-kill performance powered No. 9 UCLA (23-5, 14-4 Pac-12) women’s volleyball to take down No. 19 Oregon (18-8, 11-6) in four sets Friday night.
The Bruins now hold a five-game winning streak and remain atop the Pac-12 standings by half a game.
The Ducks took a 6-4 lead in set one, but the Bruins then rattled off 13 of 15 consecutive points and took the set 25-16.
UCLA hit .304 as a team in the first set, led by four kills apiece from senior pin hitter Jordan Anderson and junior pin hitter Reily Buechler.
While less dominant than the first set, the Bruins closed out the second set 25-20 to take a 2-0 lead, but failed to complete the sweep.
The Bruins hit only .111 and made seven hitting errors in the third to drop the set 25-18.
“I knew they were going to be great in the fourth set as soon as we got to the bench because they were already talking about resetting,” Sealy said.
In the fourth and final set, UCLA sided out at a rate of 92 percent, which Sealy said showed a very high level of execution. The Bruins took the set 25-13.
Throughout the match, UCLA was able to take advantage of strong serving, including seven aces.
“They’re all about their in system plays,” Buechler said. “So if we can get them out of their passing groove then that’s how we were able to get some blocks and get some points.”
Sealy said before this week’s matches that the Ducks are known for running a fast, complex offense that the Bruins had to prepare to defend.
[Related: Women’s volleyball defeats Oregon Ducks in five-set nailbiter]
“Tony (Ker) does an amazing job – he prepared us so well with the scouting report and he before every single play is making sure he’s telling us ‘go here, do this,'” Frager said. “It just comes down to knowing your assignments and making sure you’re prepared.”
