Women’s volleyball sets up several setters to start, sub in defensive scheme

The Bruins’ blocks have been all but a lock.

With over half of its season in the books, No. 16 UCLA women’s volleyball (15-3, 8-2 Pac-12) has ascended to the top of the Pac-12 standings, nestling into a tie for first place with No. 8 Washington. Despite sitting atop the conference, there is one category where the Bruins don’t rank quite as well – blocking. UCLA averages 2.18 blocks per set in conference play, good for eighth in the Pac-12.

After a sweep of Colorado on Oct. 8, coach Michael Sealy said the team would not make blocking numbers a focus. Since that moment, however, his Bruins have tied or out-blocked every one of their opponents, averaging 1.2 more blocks per contest than the opposition during that stretch.

In three of those five matches, UCLA substituted sophomore setter Kate Lane into the front row for graduate student setter Shelby Martin on several occasions. Lane made her season debut against Arizona State on Oct. 17 after playing in all but one match during her freshman year.

“It’s a blocking sub,” Sealy said. “Kate is just a little bit more physical on the net blocking-wise. So a lot of people will always attack Shelby. … We figured if we could throw Kate in there it’s a little bit more physical.”

Lane finished with a single block in two sets of play against the Sun Devils compared to Martin’s two after five stanzas. While the sophomore setter has failed to record a block since that match, redshirt sophomore middle blocker Anna Dodson said Lane’s presence has been key for the Bruins.

“We put Kate into (the front row),” Dodson said. “It is a bigger block sometimes.”

At 6 feet tall, Lane is UCLA’s tallest setter, followed by sophomore Audrey Pak and senior Devon Chang at 5-foot-11. Pak and Chang have yet to appear in the Bruins’ conference matches. Rounding out the blue and gold’s setter rotation is Martin at 5-foot-10.

Despite the two-setter blocking substitution, UCLA still utilizes a traditional 5-1 lineup – an offensive strategy in which Martin is the primary setter. Last season, with the pairs of Lane and Pak or Lane and Chang at the helm, the Bruins had either duo of setters play in a 6-2.

With a 6-2 lineup, UCLA used its middle blockers and hitters in the front row and reduced its setters’ blocking duties. But Martin said the team plans to stick with the continuity of a 5-1 – defensive downsides and all.

“It helps with having the same setter there so every hitter knows what they’re getting all of the time,” Martin said. “It is sometimes a liability but we make up for it elsewhere, like more kills or better digs.”

Per set, UCLA currently sits in the top five in the conference in both kills and digs. The Bruins have the most digs in a three-set Pac-12 match this season with 76 such receptions in a victory over Oregon on Oct. 22.

While UCLA may not see any changes to its offense, Sealy said he anticipates the team’s defense will vary.

“We won’t play a 6-2 all the way around,” Sealy said. “The evolution is going to be getting Kate comfortable and we can either go double-sub a couple times through to get a little bit of pressure off the blocking, … or you know, just keep subbing Kate in as a blocker.”

Regardless of who is substituted in at setter, however, Dodson said the Bruins will be prepared.

“There’s no real difference,” Dodson said. “It’s nice to block with both of them.”