Huskies Drop 3-1 Match To UCLA

Sunday, November 12

Seattle, WA

1:00 PM

University of Washington

14-13,5-11Pac-12

UCLA

16-10,8-8Pac-12

UCLA

Washington

November 12, 2023 | Volleyball

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By: UW Athletic Communications

SEATTLE – Senior May Pertofsky continued to roll with a career-high-tying 18 kills today but the Husky volleyball team fell at home in four sets to UCLA, 23-25, 17-25, 25-22, 20-25. Washington drops to 14-13 on the season and 5-11 in Pac-12 play.

A big crowd of 3,510 in Alaska Airlines Arena cheered the Huskies as they tried to rally out of an 0-2 hole, winning the third set and even at 15-15 in set four, but UCLA (16-10, 8-8 Pac-12) pulled away in set four to earn the season sweep of the Dawgs.

Washington had a 23-21 lead in the first set but lost it on four-straight Bruin points. The Bruins then built an early second set lead and put that one away, before the Huskies rallied back with Pertofsky catching fire and a big blocking effort got them into the match with a 25-22 set three win.

The Huskies hit .148 today while UCLA finished at .254. The Bruins also aced the Dawgs 11 times while UW posted seven aces and missed just five serves. Washington finished with more digs, 54-50.

"We're still one or two plays away," said Head Coach Leslie Gabriel. "The players have individual mini-battles with who they're going up against. And can we win those mini-battles? Can we slow our opponents down? I thought we served tough and got them in trouble. Where we lost it and where UCLA did a good job was in transition. They hit well in transition and we didn't slow them down in that part of the game."

Pertofsky's 18 kills matched her season and career-high, which she did previously in the season-opening match against UTEP. She hit .273 for the day, and 14 of her 18 kills came in the third and fourth sets.

Madi Endsley had 13 kills and hit .278. Freshman Katy Wessels tied her season-high with seven blocks, adding four kills on a .500 attack percentage. Molly Wilson had 22 assists and 11 digs for a double-double. Lauren Bays led the back row with 13 digs and served two aces.

Arena was waiting to ERUPT! ????#PointHuskies pic.twitter.com/S7hrH9FL13
— Washington Volleyball (@UWVolleyball) November 12, 2023

UP NEXT: The Huskies have one last road trip, visiting Salt Lake City and Boulder for the final times as conference rivals. Washington will be at Utah first next Friday, Nov. 17, for a 6 p.m. Pacific time start, then at Colorado on Sunday, Nov. 19, at 11 a.m. PT. The Dawgs return home over Thanksgiving week, playing Arizona on Nov. 22 and finishing with the Cougars on the Friday after Thanksgiving at 7 p.m. for Senior Night.