UCLA Volleyball Drops Straight Sets to Michigan State at Pauley Pavilion
The UCLA women’s volleyball team fell to Michigan State in straight sets on Friday night inside Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial, dropping set scores of 25-16, 25-19, and 25-14 as reported by uclabruins.com. UCLA (10-4, 1-2 Big Ten) struggled offensively against a tough Spartan block, finishing the night with a .039 hitting percentage, 28 kills, and 24 attack errors. Meanwhile, Michigan State (12-1, 2-1) capitalized on the Bruin miscues to hit .284 with 40 kills in the dominant road sweep.
Bruins Struggle Through Offensive Lulls as Spartans Take Control
Michigan State set the tone early in the opening frame by racing out to an 8-3 advantage, forcing UCLA to burn an early timeout. Although Eliana Urzua tried to provide a spark with a block and a kill, the Spartans quickly regained control and built a 15-6 lead by the media break. UCLA committed nine attack errors and hit -.125 in the first set alone, allowing Michigan State to cruise to a 25-16 victory.
The second set offered a more promising start for the Bruins, who used a 4-0 run fueled by Marianna Singletary to take an 8-6 lead. Kills from Kate Duffey and Singletary eventually stretched that advantage to 10-7. However, the Spartans answered with three straight points to tie it at 10-10, later using another 4-0 run late in the frame to secure a 25-19 win. In the third set, Ava Sarafa sparked an early comeback attempt with a solo block and a service ace that kept UCLA within one at 10-9, but Michigan State responded with a decisive run to close out the match 25-14.
Individual Statistics and Match Breakdown
Maggie Li paced the UCLA attack with a team-high eight kills and four digs, while Marianna Singletary contributed seven kills and three blocks. Brooke Harwood and Eliana Urzua added four and three kills, respectively, and Lola Schumacher anchored the back row defensively with a match-high 13 digs. Setting duties were shared between Kate Duffey, who recorded 10 assists and three digs, and Ava Sarafa, who tallied a team-leading 14 assists, two digs, a solo block, and the Bruins’ lone service ace.
For Michigan State, Alanna Bankston led all players with 15 kills on .323 hitting alongside three blocks. Carmen Waye added eight kills on an efficient .700 hitting percentage, five blocks, and two service aces to stifle the Bruin offense.
Upcoming Matchup Against Michigan
The Bruins return to the floor at Pauley Pavilion to host Michigan on Saturday evening at 7 p.m. PT. The match will be broadcast live on B1G+ as UCLA looks to rebound quickly from its Friday night sweep and secure its second conference victory of the season.
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the exact set scores in the match between UCLA and Michigan State?
Michigan State defeated UCLA in straight sets with scores of 25-16, 25-19, and 25-14.
How many kills did Maggie Li record for the Bruins?
Maggie Li led the UCLA attack with a team-high eight kills to go along with four digs.
When and where is UCLA playing next?
The Bruins return to Pauley Pavilion on Saturday evening at 7 p.m. PT to host Michigan on B1G+.