UCLA’s thrilling upset over the Washington Huskies this
past weekend was largely due to timely career performances by
sophomore outside hitter Rachell Johnson and junior outside hitter
Katie Carter. UCLA rode the arms of Carter and Johnson, who had 23
and 21 kills, respectively. Together they combined for 49.5 of
UCLA’s 110 total points scored. “Rachell Johnson had
just a tremendous performance for us tonight and Katie Carter came
up huge, especially at the end of Game 5,” coach Andy
Banachowski said. The Bruins came out strong in the first and
second sets, taking a commanding two-game lead on a Washington
squad that had won all but four of its 23 matches in three-game
sweeps. Johnson came up huge for the Bruins in Game 2 and pounded
down eight kills in the tight race to 30. “I’ve been
having some good games in the past week, and everything just
really, really came together tonight,” Johnson said. The
match wound long into the Westwood night, and in the fifth set when
the Bruins were down 5-2, it was Carter who took the reins. She
reeled off four kills to bring UCLA back into the mix, then
trailing only 7-6. Seven of Carter’s 23 kills came in the
fifth and deciding game, the last of which she slammed down to earn
UCLA’s final three match-winning points. “I knew it was
time for me to break out,” Carter said. Johnson also came up
big for the Bruins in Game 5. She had two crucial kills, and three
of her four block assists came late in the set, roofing
Washington’s Christal Morrison, who had 20 kills on the
night. “(My dad) really helped me to get prepared for this,
get my mentality up,” Johnson said. “He’s like my
emotional coach.” “We definitely had a lot of breakout
performances from a lot of people,” Carter said.
“Especially … Rachell. We just never let up. Bottom line is
that we never let up.” “It was magic,” Johnson
said of her performance. “It just happened ““ it just
worked out perfect.”
SPICER RECEIVES HONORS: In addition to the
stand-out feats by Carter and Johnson, freshman setter Nellie
Spicer garnered honors of her own. After helping the Bruins to a
five-game victory over Pepperdine in Malibu last week, upsetting
previously No. 2 Washington and sweeping Washington State, Spicer
has been named not only Pac-10 volleyball Player of the Week, but
Sports Imports/AVCA Division I National Player of the Week as well.
Only two other Bruins in UCLA history have won the national honor.
Spicer joins Annett Buckner and Kristee Porter on this prestigious
list. Spicer accumulated career highs during the matches over the
past two weeks. She had seven kills and seven blocks against the
Waves and an astounding 71 assists in the upset over Washington.
Since the inception of rally scoring in 2001, Spicer and Krystal
McFarland are the only Bruins to have achieved 70 or more assists
in a match.
UP NEXT: Banachowski looks to get career wins
1,001 and 1,002, and the Bruins look to win their sixth and seventh
matches in a row when they travel to Arizona to face the Arizona
State Sun Devils (7-17, 2-12 Pac-10) on Friday at 7 p.m. and the
Arizona Wildcats (18-5, 10-4) on Saturday at 7 p.m.
With reports from Michael Wozny, Bruin sports
reporter.