WESTWOOD, Calif. - For the first time since Nov. 21, 2014, Arizona suffered a straight-set loss, dropping the match to 14th-ranked UCLA (25-16, 25-18, 25-22).
“UCLA was really good tonight,” said head coach Dave Rubio. “We were not able to handle their serve. Defensively, we were out of sorts and I'm not sure why. They dictated every aspect of the match and when you allow your opponent to do so, you're not going to win.”
No. 12 Arizona (13-6, 3-4 Pac-12) hit under .200 for the second straight match as UA was limited to a .193 hitting percentage compared to UCLA's .373 clip. The Bruins' hitting percentage was the best for a Wildcat opponent since then-top-ranked Stanford hit .408 in a four-set victory on Oct. 10, 2014.
UCLA (14-3, 5-2 Pac-12) recorded just six hitting errors in the match while Arizona piled up 20.
The Bruins were the seventh ranked opponent Arizona has faced in the last 11 matches. Entering the match, UA was undefeated (13-0) against teams ranked in the current AVCA Top 10. Things do not get any easier for Arizona, which faces top-ranked USC in Los Angeles on Sunday at 11 a.m. MST.
“We'll get prepared for USC,” said Rubio. “Things don't get any easier for us, but we'll do our thing and prepare. We'll go and prepare to beat USC.”
Penina Snuka, the league-leader in double-doubles with 11, came one dig shy of her sixth-straight double-double. The junior finished with 33 assists and nine digs, one dig shy of Laura Larson's 10 for the team lead.
The Cats, who lead the Pac-12 in digs, were outdug in the match, 47-46.
For UCLA, Jordan Anderson and Reily Buechler contributed 16 kills apiece. Buechler, daughter of former Arizona Basketball star Jud Buechler, picked up her 16 kills on an errorless-31 kills (.516).
Arizona's redshirt freshman Jade Turner, daughter of Jud Buechler's teammate at Arizona Joe Turner, saw her first significant Pac-12 playing time and registered three kills on all three of her wings.
Kalei Mau led the Wildcats with 14 kills while Tyler Spriggs recorded eight on .333 hitting and Halli Amaro put up six on .417 hitting.
The Bruins hit .438 in the opening set and dominated the whole way, winning 25-16 to take a 1-0 lead.
UCLA carried its momentum to the second, leading big early forcing UA to use both of its timeouts before scoring its seventh point. The Cats fought back late, cutting the Bruin edge to three, but it would be as close as Arizona would come as UCLA won 25-18.
Arizona scored the first two points of the third, but it was all UCLA after that until a late 5-0 Arizona run brought the Cats within 22-21, trying to force a fourth set. The Bruins finished it in three, going on a 3-1 run to win the set 25-22 and win the match 3-0.
Up Next: Arizona looks to pick up the program's first ever victory over a No. 1 team on the road when Arizona meets USC on Sunday at 11 a.m. MST in a match televised by the Pac-12 Networks.
Follow Arizona Volleyball: For further coverage of Arizona volleyball, visit ArizonaWildcats.com and follow the team's Twitter and Instagram accounts (@ArizonaVBall).
