Spikers shocked by Huskies
Bruins return from Pacific Northwest with first-ever loss to
unheralded UW
By Eric Branch
Daily Bruin Staff
David slays Goliath. Truman stuns Dewey. Douglas shocks Tyson.
The University of Washington women’s volleyball team defeats
UCLA.
Saturday night in Seattle the unranked Washington Huskies scored
their first-ever win over the No. 3 UCLA Bruins in front of 1,540
witnesses in Edmundson Gym. The 15-13, 3-15, 11-15, 15-12, 15-13 ,
two hour and 15 minute stunner broke a winless streak which spanned
three presidents, 14 years and 24 matches.
The Huskies (12-9 overall, 7-6 in Pacific-10) rode the right arm
of sophomore outside hitter Angela Bransom to shock the Bruins
(22-3, 11-2). Bransom was unconscious on the night, peppering the
Bruins with 31 kills while hitting a whopping .444. Bransom’s kill
total was the fourth highest in the Pac-10 this season.
After hitting a combined .378 in the second and third games, the
Bruins looked to be ready to continue their unbeaten reign against
the Huskies. Senior outside hitter Annett Buckner and junior
outside hitter Jenny Johnson supplied the power. Buckner threw down
19 kills to go along with a match-high 19 digs, while Johnson added
a team-high 20 kills.
However, the Huskies grabbed the fourth game to take the match
to the rally-scoring fifth frame. In the fifth game the Huskies
out-hit the Bruins .348 to .160 to grab the match and put the
Bruins two games behind the No. 1 Stanford Cardinal in the Pac-10
race.
* * *
Friday night in Pullman, the Bruins managed to keep one unbeaten
streak alive. UCLA hammered Washington State 15-9, 7-15, 15-8,
15-12 to run their career record against the Cougars to a perfect
18-0. Buckner had 25 kills while Johnson added a match-high 17
digs. Senior middle blocker Alyson Randick led the team with five
block assists.