Beavers, Ducks no match for Bruins during sweep

Tuesday, October 27, 1998

Beavers, Ducks no match for Bruins during sweep

RECAP: Volleyball team adds to streak with wins against Oregon
schools

By Nick Taylor

Daily Bruin Contributor

Coming back from a 2-1 deficit after three sets, the UCLA
women’s volleyball team beat the Oregon Ducks on Sunday. The Bruins
evened their record at 9-9, including a record of 8-3 in the Pac-10
conference. The win also added to their six-game winning
streak.

On Friday, the Bruins defeated Oregon State in three quick sets;
15-6, 15-13, 15-10. UCLA controlled the match early as they sped to
a 9-0 advantage before coasting to a first set victory. Led by a
dominating defense, the Bruins forced the Beavers into a .053
hitting percentage in the first set, and .120 overall.

While Elisabeth Bachman paced the defense with four solo blocks
and five block assists, she had plenty of help.

Outside hitters Ashley Bowles, Kristee Porter and Chaska Potter
all racked up at least nine digs, and Michelle Quon and Erika
Selsor contributed with 15 more digs.

On offense, the Bruins were again led by Porter, Bowles and
Bachman. Porter’s 19 kills led all hitters, Bowles added 13 kills
and Bachman had 14 kills for a team high .393 hitting
percentage.

Despite the pesky Beavers, the real challenge for UCLA turned
out to be the Oregon Ducks and perennial All-American Madeline
Ernst.

Ernst entered Sunday’s match as the Pac-10 leader in kills per
game, so UCLA would have to find a way to defend her.

On Sunday, the Bruins and Ducks traded shots all match long.
Though each team had 74 kills, UCLA finally prevailed, 12-15,
15-12, 12-15, 15-4, 15-12. UCLA overcame 26 kills from Ernst with
26 from Porter and 22 from Bowles. UCLA’s defense held the Ducks to
a .144 hitting percentage.

Sunday’s match turned when the Bruins fell behind two sets to
one. They clamped down on defense and forced the Ducks into a .045
hitting percentage in the fourth set. The defense topped that
showing by holding the Ducks to a .000 hitting percentage in the
final set (seven kills, seven errors).

UCLA was not that much better on offense in that fifth set (only
seven kills with five errors) but was able to outlast the Ducks
with superb defense digs to pull out the match.

Defense specialists Quon and Mandi Lawson totalled 25 digs
overall and thwarted Oregon’s offense.

On offense, the Bruins got just enough help from their outside
hitters to beat Oregon. While they only hit .247 as a team,
co-captain Bachman hit .361 with 15 kills and Bowles also topped
the .300 hitting percentage plateau with 22 kills.

The 25th-ranked Bruins hope to extend their winning streak and
avenge an early season loss, when they face USC this Friday at
Pauley Pavilion.

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