The Bruins have votes. What they’re missing is a statement win.
UCLA remains outside the top 25 after falling in all three of its matchups against ranked opponents this season. As another ranked opponent awaits, the Bruins have another chance to turn recognition into a ranking.
UCLA women’s volleyball (13-4, 4-2 Big Ten) aims to defend Pauley Pavilion as they take on No. 15 Penn State (12-4, 4-2 Big Ten) on Friday and Ohio State (9-7, 2-4 Big Ten) on Sunday.
The Bruins have played just three of their 17 matches at home this season, spending much of their campaign away from Westwood. This weekend marks only the second stretch of consecutive home matches, giving UCLA an opportunity to build momentum in front of its own crowd as Big Ten play amps up.
“Being at home is so fun, and we played Penn State away last year, and we won,” said sophomore right side hitter Mija Bendziute. “So I’m excited to see them in Los Angeles and just see the difference, and hopefully we can have a big crowd there to support us. And regardless, just play our own game and have a lot of fun doing it at our home gym, protecting Pauley.”
However, this won’t come easy.
Penn State’s resume includes a win over then-No. 4 Stanford, and it enters Friday’s matchup fresh off a sweep of No. 20 Washington in its Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Match.
Kennedy Martin leads Penn State’s offensive attack with 230 kills on the season, averaging 4.34 kills per set, putting together another great campaign following three straight AVCA All-America Honors seasons.
Containing Martin will test a UCLA roster that has leaned on its depth through injuries and a demanding travel schedule.
But Penn State offers UCLA a chance to show how far it has progressed under first-year coach Matt Werle.
Friday’s match will test whether that growth can translate into a win against one of the nation’s top teams.
“A lot of times, there are coaches that don’t really show their belief in their players, but I feel like Matt, every day in the practice gym and during game days, that he really just instills in us that he believes in us as student-athletes,” said sophomore middle blocker Jordyn Johnson. “That’s able to resonate more on the court, just because it starts with us believing in ourselves and then having the support of Matt and the coaching staff, who also truly believe in us and our abilities.”
That belief will face another test Sunday.
The Buckeyes have been swept in four of their past five matches, though three of those losses came against ranked opponents.
While UCLA has won all four meetings between the programs in the history of the two teams, extending that streak will require sustained focus, something Werle has referred to as an issue this season.
“It’s interesting that I feel like we’re so much more locked in when the sets are tight, and when you start pulling away with some sort of lead, we lose a little bit of focus,” Werle said.
“So we kind of get a little bit casual in moments that we really shouldn’t have.”
Back in Westwood, the Bruins have a chance to give their home crowd two wins to celebrate – and voters a reason to move UCLA from the margins of the top 25 into the rankings.
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