The UCLA women’s volleyball team, ranked No. 23, was defeated by No. 9 Wisconsin in straight sets on Friday night at UW Field House in Madison. The set scores were 15-25, 20-25, and 21-25.
UCLA, now holding a 10-7 overall record and 4-3 in conference play, had difficulty finding offensive momentum, finishing with a .062 hitting percentage as a team. Wisconsin improved to 13-2 overall and 6-1 in the Big Ten, with a .267 hitting percentage, led by Mimi Colyer’s 16 kills at a .324 efficiency.
Marianna Singletary led the Bruins with eight kills and five blocks, totaling 11.5 points. Cheridyn Leverette contributed nine kills, while Brooklyn Briscoe and Maggie Li each added four kills. Setter Kate Duffey provided 25 assists, and Lola Schumacher led the defense with 13 digs.
Wisconsin started the match strong, opening with a 12-4 lead behind Colyer’s early kills and a seven-point run. Despite efforts from Leverette, Briscoe, and Singletary, UCLA hit .000 in the first set, which Wisconsin won 25-14.
In the second set, Singletary and Kong began with a block for UCLA, but Wisconsin responded to build a 9-4 advantage. Li’s two kills helped keep the Bruins close, and Singletary’s overpass kill narrowed the deficit to 19-16, leading to a Wisconsin timeout. A block from Briscoe and Anastasija Ivkovic sparked another UCLA run, bringing the score to 22-20, but Wisconsin closed the set with three consecutive points for a 25-20 win.
The third set was competitive early, with Leverette’s kill and three blocks from Singletary keeping the Bruins close. UCLA tied the set at 13, but Wisconsin responded with a four-point run to go up 20-16. Singletary finished the set with five blocks, but Wisconsin maintained control to secure the match.
UCLA will conclude its weekend road trip at Iowa on Sunday, October 19 at 11 a.m. Pacific Time. The match will be available for viewing on B1G+.
