UCLA women’s volleyball falls to powerhouse Nebraska in Big Ten opener
Junior outside hitter Cheridyn Leverette serves. On Friday, Leverette led UCLA women’s volleyball with 17 kills in a loss against No. 2 Nebraska. (Shane Yu/Daily Bruin staff)
Women's Volleyball
UCLA | 1 |
No. 2 Nebraska | 3 |
By Kai Dizon
Sept. 28, 2024 8:03 p.m.
Nebraska coach John Cook’s 700th career win with the Cornhuskers meant the Bruins’ third loss in four games.
In its first conference match Friday night, UCLA women’s volleyball (6-4, 0-1 Big Ten) was welcomed to the Big Ten with a 3-1 defeat at the hands of No. 2 Nebraska (11-1, 1-0) at the Devaney Center in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Despite the final score, the Bruins didn’t linger on doom and gloom.
“It stings because to be that close knowing that you have opportunities to win a match,” said coach Alfee Reft. “However, I think the larger takeaway and the main point tonight was that we’re leaving here seeing what we’re capable of.”
UCLA held its own for the majority of the first set before losing 25-22 – though neither team led by more than two points until Nebraska won the set. The second set was far more decisive, with the Huskers winning 25-10 as the Bruins were limited to a -.033 hitting percentage on six errors.
In the third, the Bruins were down by eight points, 22-14, but rallied on for a 11-1 run to clinch the frame 25-23 – shattering the Huskers’ streak of 15 consecutive set victories.
“(Sophomore libero) Kat Lutz was working for us,” Reft said. “She went back and served a heck of a run – hit in her spots and just ice in her veins – really dug some balls for us, and she kept us in this match. So it’s performances like that we’re gonna need night in, night out in the Big Ten.”
Graduate student middle blocker Anna Dodson added that the scoring spurt was a product of the Bruins’ efforts in practice and demonstrated the team’s ability to handle tough challenges.
The fourth set would be the final, however, as the Bruins fell 25-22, unable to capitalize on an early 7-5 lead.
Though limited to a .167 hitting percentage, junior outside hitter Cheridyn Leverette led the Bruins with 17 kills – tying her second-best output of the season. The Hampton, Georgia, local’s performance extended her season long double-digit kill streak an additional game.
“Just knowing that they (my teammates) would be behind me covering, just gave both Kiki (freshman outside hitter Kiki Horne) and I the most confidence in the world to go up and swing,” Leverette said.
Horne added 11 kills of her own, but finished at a .139 hitting percentage.
The most jarring on the stat sheet may be UCLA’s 16 service errors. Nebraska had half that at eight.
“You never want to miss serves at the end of matches, like our players are trying to hit and those are just learnable moments for us in big environments,” Reft said. “Those are very fixable situations for us that we will address and just keep getting better at.”
In addition to the service game, UCLA was limited to a .153 hitting percentage overall, while Nebraska’s figure sat at .246.
Despite their loss, the Bruins kept the Huskers on the ropes in three of four sets and are headed back to Westwood with pride.
“I think we really showed out and played our best,” Dodson said. “And obviously there are some things that we need to shore up, but we’re excited to have another opportunity to practice tomorrow and to put our game back into effect against Ohio State at home.”