This post was updated Oct. 21 at 1:41 a.m.

The Bruins have been caught in a rut this season, dragging matches to five frames, only to stumble at the finish line.

But Sunday afternoon, the Bruins didn’t win just one set. They rattled off three in a row to ensure glory.

UCLA women’s volleyball (9-8, 3-5 Big Ten) broke its two-game losing streak after sweeping Northwestern (4-12, 2-6) in Welsh-Ryan Arena. Not only did this victory snap a two-match skid, but it also marked UCLA’s first straight-set victory since Sept. 21, when it triumphed over California.

The first two sets concluded with identical scores – the Bruins emerging victorious at 28-26. Coach Alfee Reft said composure and stability is key in such nip-and-tuck situations.

“It’s trying to settle in a little more in those closer situations on the courts, of just trusting their training,” Reft said. “It’s already heightened, those are excitable and big moments, so we tell them to settle into what you’re doing and keep it very tactical in those moments.”

UCLA set the tone early in the first set with a 6-0 run. However, a kill by Northwestern middle blocker Kennedy Hill shifted momentum, allowing the Wildcats to eventually level the score at 18. Ultimately, two clutch serves from sophomore defensive specialist Sydney Breon, combined with a kill from graduate middle hitter Leilani Dodson, awarded the Bruins the first set.

Dodson, a Northwestern transfer, said returning to Evanston, Illinois, brought a flood of nostalgia.

“It was so nice,” Dodson said. “It just felt so homey, and it’s a great gym, great environment, so it was really nice to be back.”

During her time as a Wildcat, she consistently excelled, recording hitting percentages north of .300 in each of her three seasons. In 2023, Dodson led the Wildcat squad with a .340 hitting percentage and ranked second on the team with 235 kills.

Dodson followed in the footsteps of Desiree Becker, who also made the transition from Evanston to Westwood for her final season of volleyball, playing for UCLA as a middle blocker in 2023.

But despite spending three seasons as a Wildcat, Dodson said she wasn’t particularly familiar with Northwestern’s scouting report this time around.

“I think they have a lot of new pieces and are kind of doing a lot of different things and playing a lot of people,” Dodson said.

While the Bruins walked away with the first frame against the Wildcats, it had only been three days since a UCLA opening-set victory ended in a 3-2 defeat to Purdue.

This time, however, the Bruins saw the job through the end.

“We’re super happy right now with that win,” said senior libero Peyton Dueck. “Especially after the big loss against Purdue.”

UCLA took control over Northwestern in the third frame with a 25-10 victory, recording 51 kills and 61 digs by the match’s end. While three players recorded double-digit kills for the Bruins, it was junior outside hitter Cheridyn Leverette who led the charge with 14.

Meanwhile, Northwestern struggled, finishing the fifth set with a -.029 clip compared to UCLA’s .500.

“We really just focused on finishing when we hit the 20s,” Dueck said. “We just worked finishing strong in the last five points and playing big and just owning our side of the court. I think we did a really good job with that upgrade today and finished in those three sets.”