UCLA Opens at Home Versus USC, Oregon

LOS ANGELES – The UCLA women’s volleyball team begins Pac-12 Conference competition this week with its first home contests of the season at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom versus crosstown rival USC on Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. (PT) and No. 6 Oregon on Sunday, Sept. 24 at 2 p.m. (PT). The Bruins’ (8-2) contests versus the Trojans (6-4) and Ducks (9-1) can be watched on the Pac-12 Network.
 
Fans can purchase $2 tickets to UCLA’s home opener versus USC using the promo code “BEATSC”.
 
UCLA (8-2) vs. USC (6-4)
Date: Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023 – 7 p.m. (PT)
Location: Los Angeles, Calif. (Pauley Pavilion)
Television: Pac-12 Network
Talent: Anne Marie Anderson (play by play), Holly McPeak (analyst)
Live Stats: uclalivestats.com
 
UCLA (8-2) vs. No. 6 Oregon (9-1)
Date: Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023 – 2 p.m. (PT)
Location: Los Angeles, Calif. (Pauley Pavilion)
Television: Pac-12 Los Angeles
Talent: Anne Marie Anderson (play by play)
Live Stats: uclalivestats.com
 
First Serve
· UCLA is led by first-year head coach Alfee Reft who was announced as the program’s fourth head coach on Dec. 19, 2022.
· Reft will be missing seven matches this season due to his assistant coaching responsibilities with the U.S. Women’s National Team. He serves UCLA Athletic Hall of Famer and head coach Karch Kiraly.
· Associate head coach Jen Malcom is the acting head coach during Reft’s absences. She is 4-2 while in charge.
· The Bruins played all 10 of their non-conference matches on the road and flew approximately 10,800 miles through the air.
· UCLA is 31-16 all-time in conference openers. The Bruins will open conference play at home for a fifth year in a row.
· UCLA finished the preseason with an 8-2 record after splitting its two matches at Oklahoma last week.
· Outside hitter Iman Ndiaye leads UCLA in kills (140), kills per set (3.33), points (167.0) and points per set (3.98). Ndiaye has reached double-digit kills in nine out of 10 matches this year and leads UCLA’s pin hitters with a .357 hitting percentage.
· Middle blocker Desiree Becker ranks first in the Pac-12 Conference in total blocks (53) and sixth in blocks per set (1.26). The graduate transfer from Northwestern has been a key addition, tallying 4.0+ total blocks in nine of 10 matches.
· Middle blocker Anna Dodson owns a team-high .410 hitting…