This post was updated Oct. 8 at 10:58 p.m.

UCLA and Washington have a long-standing familiarity.

The names have changed – Pacific Coast Conference, Pac-12, Big Ten – but one thing has remained for more than 100 years: the Bruins and Huskies are conference foes.

UCLA women’s volleyball (7-6, 1-3 Big Ten) is gearing up for a road trip to Seattle, where it will take on Washington (13-1, 3-1) on Wednesday night. Currently amid a two-game losing streak, the Bruins have a chance at getting back in the win column.

The Huskies and Bruins have faced off 45 times since 2000, with the former holding a 29-16 advantage in that span. However, 2023 was controlled by the Bruins – they turned the tide against the Huskies both at home and on the road.

At Pauley Pavilion last season, the Bruins fended off nine set points in the third set, eventually winning 38-36 to make the highest point total in a set in program history.

A crucial moment came when then-senior middle blocker Anna Dodson broke a relatively silent game with back-to-back kills to spur a comeback win for the Bruins. Over in Seattle, the Bruins posted a solid .254 hitting percentage while limiting Washington to .148.

UCLA is coming off back-to-back five-set affairs – but came up short in both. Despite battling to the wire against both Minnesota and Michigan, UCLA just couldn’t close out wins.

“At the end of the day, it just came down to our execution,” said junior outside hitter Cheridyn Leverette. “I think a good takeaway is showing up in the tight moments and presenting ourselves to our teammates in a way that will just better the body of the team.”

The Bruins are 16 games away from the postseason, amping up the value of fine-tuning the details ahead of it.

“We’re talking a ton about how to finish off matches, and we’re getting closer,” said coach Alfee Reft. “This game is all about runs. So how can we extend our runs and how can we stop what they’re doing.”

The Bruins routinely emphasize the importance of staying composed and executing in high-pressure moments.

“We talk a lot about being big in the big moments and taking space,” said graduate middle hitter Leilani Dodson. “We have fabulous coaches, and the training and our scouts are awesome. It’s all about going back to that and focusing on what we need to do at the moment and just relying on my teammates because they do a great job.”