Buffs volleyball unable to hurdle No. 12 Bruins

Head coach Jesse Mahoney calls a timeout during the second set to regroup at the CU Events Center. March 5, 2021 (Kara Wagenknecht/CU Independent)

The No. 12 UCLA Bruins volleyball team defeated the University of Colorado Buffaloes in four sets on Friday to drop CU to 4-7 on the season. The Buffs have now dropped seven straight games after a 4-0 start to the season. All seven losses came against ranked opponents.

UCLA won the first set, 25-17, after a large 6-0 scoring run that put the Bruins within two of match point. In the second set, the Buffs were able to overcome an early deficit to win 25-23. CU only made one error as opposed to the eight they made in the first set. Colorado was able to take its first lead of the night after going ahead 23-22 on a senior outside hitter Leah Clayton kill. The Buffs had a hitting percentage of .487 in the second set while hitting just .208 overall. 

Junior setter/libero Brynna DeLuzio was pleased with the performance in the second set.

“I think in the second set we really buckled down in our serve receive and our serving,” DeLuzio said. “That played a big role in how we delivered our offense which allowed us to spread out the hitters and get some one on ones in our blocks going and I think that was the big difference in set two for us.”

Unfortunately for CU, its momentum was not sustained as UCLA used a few big scoring runs to put the Buffs away in the third and fourth sets 25-19 and 25-19 respectively.

Clayton finished had 12 kills in the game while DeLuzio led the Buffs with 23 assists in her first game back as a setter in nearly three years.

With UCLA outhitting the Buffs with .305 to .208, head coach Jesse Mahoney expressed his desire to get better swings in the upcoming matches.

“We’ve got to find a way to get good swings in transition,” Mahoney said. “We have to find a way to get good swings when we’re out of system. We’re just not doing that right now. The teams that we’re playing right now are. They’re getting really good swings out of system and that’s a big change that we need to do better at. We talk about it and work at it, we just need to put it into action.”

The Buffs will host UCLA again on Sunday at 11 a.m. MST in their eighth straight game against a ranked opponent. No team in CU athletics history has faced as many ranked opponents in a season.  

Redshirt outside hitter senior Leah Clayton awaits a pass from Maya Tabron during the fourth set at the CU Events Center. March 5, 2021 (Kara Wagenknecht/CU Independent)

UCLA's Allison Jacobs focuses while the Buffaloes prepare to serve the ball during the fourth set at the CU Events Center. March 5, 2021 (Kara Wagenknecht/CU Independent)

Sophomore outside hitter Jill Schneggenburger gets the ball over to UCLA's side during the fourth set at the CU Events Center. March 5, 2021 (Kara Wagenknecht/CU Independent)

Redshirt outside hitter senior Leah Clayton prepares to serve the ball during the fourth set at the CU Events Center. March 5, 2021 (Kara Wagenknecht/CU Independent)

UCLA's Iman Ndiaye tries to tip the ball to the Buffs side during the fourth set at the CU Events Center. March 5, 2021 (Kara Wagenknecht/CU Independent)

Redshirt junior middle blocker Meegan Hart blocks the ball and scores a point for the Buffaloes during the third set at the CU Events Center. March 5, 2021 (Kara Wagenknecht/CU Independent)

Junior setter Jenna Ewert keeps the ball from hitting the ground during the second set at the CU Events Center. March 5, 2021 (Kara Wagenknecht/CU Independent)

Sophomore libero Katie Lougeay bumps the ball to keep it within play during the second set at the CU Events Center. March 5, 2021 (Kara Wagenknecht/CU Independent)

Redshirt junior setter Brynna Deluzio keeps the ball on the Buffs' side during the third set at the CU Events Center. March 5, 2021 (Kara Wagenknecht/CU Independent)

Junior Jenna Ewert and sophomore Sterling Parker scramble to keep the ball from touching the ground during the first set at the CU Events Center. March 5, 2021 (Kara Wagenknecht/CU Independent)

Sophomore right side Sterling Parker spikes the ball during the second set at the CU Events Center. March 5, 2021 (Kara Wagenknecht/CU Independent)

Junior setter Jenna Ewert sets the ball up for teammate Sterling Parker during the first set at the CU Events Center. March 5, 2021 (Kara Wagenknecht/CU Independent)

Sophomore outside hitter Elissa Alcantara extends her reach in an attempt to block the ball during the first set at the CU Events Center. March 5, 2021 (Kara Wagenknecht/CU Independent)

Sophomore outside hitter Jill Schneggenburger kills the ball during the second set at the CU Events Center. March 5, 2021 (Kara Wagenknecht/CU Independent)

Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Chad Peterson at chpe9595@colorado.edu.