College | Washington volleyball enters Bruins’ den facing history

Undefeated Huskies on same campus where longest streak ended

• #2 Washington @ #16 UCLA | Fri, Oct 31 | 6:00PM | live Internet stream

UCLA's Karsta Lowe attacks against the block of Washington's Krista Vansant and Lianna Sybeldon during the Huskies'
dramatic 3-2 come from behind victory in Seattle on October 3, 2014
-Volleyblog Seattle photo by Leslie Hamann

On November 12, 2005, second-ranked Washington traveled to Westwood with a perfect 23-0 mark. The defending Pac-10 champions faced #21 UCLA, a team with a 15-8 record. Three of the five sets (in the 30-point era) were decided by two points, with the Bruins prevailing 3-2 (34-32, 30-27, 28-30, 25-30, 15-13). It would be the only loss of the 2005 campaign, as Washington won the National Championship.

Tonight, defending Pac-12 champion Washington is again ranked #2, and is again undefeated (22-0). This year’s Bruins are ranked #16 with a 15-6 record. The parallels are hard to miss.

Earlier this year in Seattle, Washington had to come from behind to beat UCLA 3-2 (18-25, 24-26, 25-17, 25-20, 15-10). That is one of a couple of warning shots that might make tonight’s match must-see:

• This will be the Bruins’ first home match of the season. A massive flood caused by a broken city pipe shut down both Pauley Pavilion and the adjacent Wooden Center all autumn, forcing UCLA to play its LA matches at Pepperdine and elsewhere. The Wooden Center reopens tonight, and it carries fond memories for Bruin seniors: it was their home court in 2011, when UCLA won its latest national title.
• UCLA senior Karsta Lowe has just one serious rival for 2014 Pac-12 Player of the Year: Washington’s Krista Vansant. Lowe leads the nation in kills per set (6.04), Vansant is 14^th (4.62). In the teams’ first meeting, Lowe had 28 kills, to 19 for Vansant. Vansant’s all-around game (passing, serving, blocking, hitting) is arguably superior, but Lowe (like Vansant) will be a First Team All-American, and can be an absolute handful when she’s on a roll.
• The Huskies defeated the Bruins in LA last season, but lost the three previous Westwood trips in 2010, 2011 & 2012. During the Jim McLaughlin era, UW is 5-8 against UCLA in Los Angeles. Four of those eight losses were in five sets.

This season’s UCLA @ Washington match was not televised. Sadly, the Pac-12 Network will not televise the rematch, either. You’ll have to try to stream the match on a feed provided by UCLA’s Sports Information Department.

Washington’s longest streaks to open the season during the Jim McLaughlin era:

WE’RE BACK

Thanks to those who’ve asked about Volleyblog Seattle’s whereabouts the past two weeks. After covering Washington’s victory against Oregon in Eugene, we attended the 7th Annual Indie Spirit Film Festival in Colorado Springs, where our volleyball documentary, Court & Spark, won the Audience Award as the Best Sports Documentary. We then visited family in Colorado and California, enjoying autumn high-altitude camping in several National Parks along the way.

There were a few non-blog volleyball assignments, however. In case you missed them:

• Washington alum Courtney Thompson is home after Team USA wins World Championship (Seattle Times, October 17)
• Stat Man (Volleyball Magazine, October 27)
• USA wins first-ever gold at World Championships (Volleyball Magazine—coming soon)