This post was updated Oct. 21 at 11:16 p.m.

The Big Ten offers no easy nights and even fewer second chances.

And No. 25 UCLA women’s volleyball (11-7, 5-3 Big Ten) was reminded that contrast often drives growth. After suffering a sweep at the hands of No. 12 Wisconsin (13-3, 6-2) on Friday night in Madison, the Bruins followed up the defeat by sweeping Iowa (10-10, 1-7) in Iowa City on Sunday morning.

Coach Alfee Reft said the weekend reflected what competing in the Big Ten demands.

“I’m really proud of our team’s response,” Reft said. “I think this conference is just a gauntlet. Every match is a completely different equation.”

The Bruins entered Madison with back-to-back ranked wins across their previous two matches against Minnesota and USC, but the Badgers halted the Bruins’ hot streak.

Wisconsin – which ranks within the top three nationally in both hitting percentage and kills per set – controlled the pace from the first serve, winning the opening frame 25-14 and exposing cracks in UCLA’s service reception.

The Bruins struggled to find their offensive rhythm, and the Badgers’ relentless service pressure stifled them for the majority of the match. Sophomore setter Kate Duffey had limited opportunities to orchestrate the Bruin attack, since the Badgers’ front line sealed off attacking lanes for the Bruins’ pin hitters.

“The Wisconsin game felt very fast and we could never quite get in control of our rhythms and control of the game in any aspect,” Duffey said. “I got wrapped up in still trying to execute the game plan, versus settling down and putting up good hittable balls until the team is able to find some good rhythm again.”

UCLA ultimately fell in three straight sets – recording its second sub-.100 hitting performance this season – as Wisconsin outhit them .267 to .062.

But the team flipped the script Sunday.

The Bruins rediscovered their offensive tempo and composure against the Hawkeyes.

UCLA boasted a .319 team hitting percentage while holding Iowa to a .130 clip, and the squad captured its third sweep across its last four matches along with its seventh of the season.

Duffey led the offense with 35 assists, and senior outside hitter Cheridyn Leverette notched 15 kills on a .400 clip to power the attack. Leverette also reached 1,000 career kills when she recorded her final attack tally of the match.

“Coming into Iowa today just shows how quickly we learn lessons and apply them and actually apply what we learn on the court – like we’re such a fast-learning team,” Leverette said. “I’m just honestly so grateful that we got to have another opportunity to play and to apply those lessons really quickly.”

The Bruins returned to Westwood with both a split record and a sense of progress despite an inconsistent weekend performance.

For Reft, the lopsided loss in Madison may prove just as valuable as the sweep in Iowa City.

“I think it is honestly the richest and probably the best lesson for us at this point,” Reft said. “And again, none of us felt like we competed at our best, and yet we’re going to walk away with two or three major upgrades that we probably need to make that will serve us well for the rest of the year.”