May's 39 Kills Lead UCLA to Victory over Washington State

PULLMAN, Wash. – Graduate outside hitter Mac May put together a career-performance in UCLA's five-set victory over Washington State on Sunday. Her career-high 39 kills were the most by a Bruin in a conference match in program history, and ranked second all-time behind Natalie Williams who recorded 43 versus Hawaii in September 1991.
 
May finished the match with a double-double, snuffing out 15 digs while taking a career-high 84 swings. May's attack in the fourth and fifth sets proved to be the difference maker in the match as she compiled nine kills in each frame at a combined .421 clip.
 
The Bruins (10-2, 3-1 Pac-12) faced five Cougar (8-6, 2-2 Pac-12) match points in the fifth set, but UCLA answered each put away attempt. May kept the match alive twice with two kills, a block by Emily Ryan and Allison Jacobs then made it 16-all and kills by Anna Dodson and élan McCall continued the match into the 17th and 18th points. In turn, the Bruins needed just one attempt with the match point on the line, leading to a McCall service ace.
 
UCLA needed to take the last two frames after dropping a tight third set that, at one point, saw the score tied at 22-22.
 
Down 9-5 in the fourth, the Bruins went on a 12-2 run to take the lead, beginning with three May kills. Jacobs and Dodson added one and two kills, respectively, and Jacob dealt a service ace. May proceeded to rack up four more kills before a McCall solo block ended the frame.
 
McCall also picked up her first double-double of the season with 12 kills and 13 digs on a .953 reception percentage.
 
To begin the match, the Bruins were kept to a .081 hitting percentage while Washington State hit .303 in the frame and outside hitter Magda Jehlarova blocked UCLA four times. That was the best hitting clip the Cougars would record in the match.
 
May helped prevent the Bruins from falling into a 2-0 hole in the second set with her first series of nine kills. With the score tied 19-19, May slammed home three kills to go up 23-20. Sophomore middle blocker Iman Ndiaye closed out the frame with back-to-back kills.
 
Graduate setter Shelby Martin registered a season-high 55 assists in the contest, and senior libero Zoe Fleck once again led the Bruins with 24 digs. Dodson led the Bruins with three blocks in addition to her nine kills (.316 hitting percentage).
 
UCLA returns home to Pauley Pavilion next Friday, Oct. 8, when the Bruins play Colorado (11-2, 2-2 Pac-12) at 8 p.m. PT.