Sometimes change is a good thing.
On Wednesday night, No. 9 UCLA (19-4, 10-3 Pac-12) trotted out some unfamiliar names against unranked Colorado (14-11, 6-7) that did not appear – or appeared only sparingly – in the teams’ first encounter in early October.
Freshman setter Zana Muno, with 42 assists and 14 digs, and redshirt sophomore outside hitter Jessyka Ngauamo, with a team-high 19 kills, both played key roles en route to the Bruins’ 3-0 victory over the Buffs (25-23, 26-24, 25-17).
“We were kind of forced to change our system due to the personnel we had available,” said coach Michael Sealy. “We decided to go with a two-passing system instead of a three-passing system, so it changes the general formation and puts much more pressure on the passers because they have the entire court to cover.”
The Bruins came out of the gates the way you would expect a team would after experiencing wholesale changes in the lineup and formation – slowly. UCLA seemed to be in a slumber to start the match, as they allowed Colorado to jump out to an early lead in the first set.
Whatever malaise that the Bruins were suffering from seemed to be shaken right out of them after Sealy called his first timeout. From that point onwards, the Bruins outscored the Buffaloes 13-8 to narrowly take the first set 25-23.
“Honestly, we just had to look at where we were at,” said junior middle blocker Claire Felix. “Earlier in the season, when we were younger, it was hard for us to recognize and change, but now it is kind of like, ‘Hey this is what we are doing and this is what is happening. Let’s recognize the fact that they are on a run and let us control it and do what we have to do to get the next point.'”
The second set seemed like it was going to be a return to script for the Bruins. UCLA jumped out to a 10-5 lead and had Colorado reeling heading into a timeout, but, just like in the first set, a break in the action allowed the losing team to catch their breath.
The Buffaloes responded with their own 10-5 run to tie the game at 15-15. From that point onward, it was a seesaw battle in which neither team was able to take a lead greater than two until the set was decided in favor of the Bruins by a 26-24 final.
Senior defensive specialist Rachel Inouye dealt the final blow of the set, as she sent a devilish serve spinning to the back lefthand side of the court that resulted in the ball resting five rows up in the stands.
”When it is a big moment like that, I definitely feel like I focus in and give that little bit extra to add a little pop on the ball,” Inouye said. “Sometimes it turns out well, sometimes it doesn’t, but tonight it did.”
UCLA was able to parlay its strong finish in the second set, a three-point run that allowed them to claim the set, and revert back to their top-10 form in the third set, handling Colorado in relatively easy fashion to win 25-17.