THE GAMES (Times MST)
1 | Wednesday, Oct. 4 (7 p.m.) |
3,
0 |
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2 | Friday, Oct. 6 (6 p.m.) |
vs.
| Tucson, Ariz. (McKale Center) |
Pac-12 Arizona/Los Angeles |
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WEEKLY NOTES
ARIZONA SET TO HOST FIRST WEEK OF FOUR-MATCH HOMESTAND
It's a short turnaround for Arizona volleyball (7-6, 1-3 Pac-12), which will host 13th-ranked UCLA (9-4, 2-2 Pac-12) on Wednesday, three days after returning home from a Bay Area road trip. Following the matchup with the Bruins, the Wildcats will face No. 15 USC (12-3, 4-0 Pac-12) on Friday. The Wildcats are in the first of two consecutive weeks at home after three of their first four conference matches came on the road. Arizona is coming off a pair of losses in Northern California, the second and third consecutive losses for the Wildcats. The schedule offers no reprieve for the young Wildcats, who will now face four consecutive teams ranked in this week's AVCA Top 25. First up, though, are the L.A. schools, who the Wildcats enjoyed success against in 2016. Arizona swept UCLA and USC last year, marking the first time going 4-0 vs. the two in program history.
SERIES HISTORY
- UCLA owns a 55-26 edge in the all-time series with Arizona. The Wildcats, however, have won three straight overall vs. the Bruins and five straight in McKale. Last year, Arizona won a five-set thriller in Los Angeles (18-25, 17-25, 25-16, 25-21, 15-12) and swept the Bruins in Tucson (28-26, 25-21, 25-20).
- USC leads the all-time series 58-20, but the Wildcats swept USC in a pair of matches in 2016. UA swept USC in Los Angeles (25-20, 25-22, 25-20) and defeated the Trojans in five sets in Tucson (25-23, 18-25, 22-25, 25-17, 15-7).
COACHES
- Arizona head coach Dave Rubio is in his 26th season with the Wildcats. The conference's active leader in wins a Pac-12 coach, Rubio is 486-297 at UA.
- UCLA head coach Michael Sealy is in his eighth season and holds a 173-69 record.
- Mick Haley is in his 16th season as head coach at USC. Haley is 404-98 at USC.
CATS AT A GLANCE
- In six straight seasons, the Wildcats have upset either USC or UCLA while they were ranked. (2016 - #22, #25 USC & #18, #9 UCLA; 2015 - #11 UCLA; 2014 - #20 UCLA; 2013 - #1 USC; 2012 - #5 UCLA; 2011 - #2 UCLA twice).
- Julia Patterson had a career-high 58 assists on Sunday at Cal. Only one player in the conference (Jenna Gray - Stanford) has had more in one match this year. The first-year starter is fourth in Pac-12, averaging 10.67 assists per set. Patterson has six double-doubles this year, two off the Pac-12 lead.
- The Wildcats entered last week 18th nationally in blocks/set (2.85) but had just seven total blocks in eight sets last week in the Bay. Still, on the season Arizona has had double-digit blocks in nine of their 13 matches (69%). UA had 10-or-more blocks in just 15 total matches last season (43%).
- Freshmen and sophomores account for 52% of Arizona's kills (334-of-647), 92% of Arizona's assists (551-of-599), 60% of Arizona's digs (413-of-684) and 63% of Arizona's blocks.
- When leading its opponent in hitting percentage, Arizona is 7-0. When trailing, the Wildcats are 0-6.
OPPONENTS
#13 UCLA (9-4, 2-2 Pac-12)
- UCLA split its first two weekends of Pac-12 play. The Bruins, who own victories over ranked foes (#22) San Diego, (#20) Hawaii and (#8) Oregon, fell to Washington (1-3) and defeated Washington State (3-1) last week in Los Angeles.
- The Bruins are second in the Pac-12 in digs, led by junior libero Zana Muno, whose 4.36 digs/set are second in the league.
#15 USC (12-3, 4-0 Pac-12)
- USC is one of two remaining unbeaten teams in the Pac-12 after defeating Washington State (3-1) and No. 6 Washington (3-0) last week at the Galen Center.
- The Trojans feature one of the conference's top offenses. USC is second in kills (14.49/set) and assists (13.53/set) and fourth in hitting percentage (.277). Khalia Lanier (4.32 kills/set, .266 hitting) and Brittany Abercrombie (3.07 kills/set, .341 hitting) lead that charge for the Trojans.
RANKINGS
- Arizona did not receive votes in this week's AVCA Top 25.
- Arizona was ranked 24th in the preseason top 25, marking Arizona's 314th week in the AVCA Top 25, dating back to 1982. That's 10th-most among all schools in Division I.
- The Pac-12 has seven teams in the Top 25: No. 2 Stanford, No. 9 Washington, No. 13 UCLA, No. 15 USC, No. 16 Oregon, No. 17 Utah and No. 25 Colorado.
- UA is 0-1 this season vs. ranked opponents.
CAN YOU DIG IT?
- Arizona has finished top three in the conference in each of the last four season in digs per set. UA led the Pac-12 from 2013-15 and finished third in 2016 (15.67 digs/set).
- However, four of the six players that averaged more than a dig per set last season graduated, including libero Laura Larson and setter Penina Snuka, two of the top five diggers in UA history.
- This season, UA is averaging 13.96 digs/set (eighth in the Pac-12) led by libero Kimberly Gutierrez's 2.90 digs/set.
DAHLKE LOOKS TO BUILD ON STELLAR SOPHOMORE SEASON
- Kendra Dahlke had a breakout campaign in 2016, averaging 3.95 kills and 4.35 points per set. Those figures ranked fourth and sixth in the Pac-12, up from 1.57 kills and 1.72 points per set as a freshman in 2015.
- This season, Dahlke leads the Wildcats with 3.15 kills/set. In Pac-12 play, she is averaging 4.13 kills/set, fifth most in the conference.
BIG SHOES TO FILL
- This season, sophomore setter Julia Patterson is tasked with replacing All-American Penina Snuka, the 2016 Pac-12 Setter of the Year. So far, so good. Patterson is averaging 10.67 assists/set, fourth most in the Pac-12, and 2.63 digs/set.
- As the understudy of the best digging setter in UA history, Patterson must have picked up a thing or two. Snuka led the Pac-12 in double-doubles all four seasons as UA. Patterson is two off the Pac-12 lead with five double-doubles this year.
RUBIO AND STAFF RECRUITING AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL
WILD KITTENS
- Arizona has eight freshmen, five sophomores, four juniors and just two seniors. Arizona's 13 underclassmen are the most in the Pac-12.
- Through graduation/transfer, Arizona lost six players who combined for 737 total sets played in 2016. The nine returners combined for 550 sets last season and 946 for their entire careers.
HER TIME TO SHINE
- After sitting on the bench for three seasons, redshirt junior Jade Turner has worked her way into the starting lineup for the Wildcats in 2017. Turner saw action in 69 total sets in 2015 and 2016, used primarily as a blocker situationally. This year, Turner has started all 13 matches for Arizona and been one of UA's most consistent performers, on both sides of the ball. Turner is averaging 1.48 kills/set on .289 hitting to go along with 0.85 blocks/set.
- Turner is the daughter of former Wildcat basketball player Joe Turner (1985-88), who, along with Steve Kerr, Sean Elliott, led Arizona to its first Final Four in 1988 under head coach Lute Olson.
UP NEXT
- Arizona will face Utah (10/13) and Colorado (10/15) in McKale next weekend.
