Luper, Alupei Lead UCLA's Attack in 3-1 Win over Milwaukee

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Freshman Charitie Luper led No. 19 UCLA women's volleyball (7-1) in kills (18) for the second time this season in the Bruins' four-set victory over Milwaukee (6-6) at the Hinkle Fieldhouse on Saturday morning. Set scores were 15-25, 25-14, 25-17, 25-11.
 
Graduate Mac May registered 12 kills in the match, and her 11th coming the fourth set leapfrogged Annett Buckner (1,630 – 1991-94) into ninth place on UCLA's all-time kills leaderboard.
 
The Panthers got out to an early 1-0 lead after taking the first set by ten points and recording a hitting percentage of .478. That would be the only set Milwaukee hit above .100 in the match; the Panthers hit .000 in sets two and three and .091 in set four, stymied by 15 UCLA blocks.
 
The Bruins have now recorded double-digit blocks in five consecutive matches and extend their Pac-12 best blocks per set to 3.13.
 
Freshman Francesca Alupei's dominance from the final two sets of last night's match versus Butler carried over into set two today as she posted two kills to help the Bruins to a 6-1 lead.
 
Defensively, Alupei led UCLA to 12 blocks in the set, assisting on five of them. She ended the match posting seven kills (.462 hitting percentage) and swarming the net for 3.5 blocks.
 
Luper put the set away scoring four kills for the Bruins' final six points to tie up the match, 1-1.
 
Graduate setter Shelby Martin found her attackers with ease in the third set, assisting on 11 of the Bruins' 13 kills. Martin recorded her second 40-plus assist outing of the season, finishing with 41 and a .451 assist percentage.
 
Redshirt sophomore Anna Dodson, Luper and May each posted three kills in the third frame. In addition to going 3-for-5 on her swings, Dodson assisted on three blocks.
 
Dodson tacked on another three block assists in the final set to make it a team-leading 38 blocks on the season.
 
Luper and May dazzled in the fourth frame recording 11 kills between them with a combined .550 hitting percentage. Martin was also a perfect 3-for-3 on her swings to add three kills of her own. The Bruins totaled a .548 hitting percentage in the set – their best of the match.
 
NEXT UP
UCLA returns home to kick off conference play versus crosstown rival USC on Wednesday, Sept. 22 at Pauley Pavilion. All fans attending UCLA indoor events are required to show proof of vaccination or of a negative test within the past 72 hours prior to entry.