Buckner Helps UCLA Defeat USC in Women’s Volleyball

The UCLA women’s volleyball team needed a remarkable effort Wednesday to stave off USC.

And that’s what it got from Annett Buckner.

Buckner had a career-high 37 kills to lead UCLA to a 13-15, 9-15, 16-14, 15-13, 15-9 Pacific 10 Conference victory before 2,047 at Pauley Pavilion.

UCLA has not lost to USC in 13 matches since Nov. 24, 1987. But the third-ranked Bruins, 16-2 overall and 6-1 in the Pac-10, played poorly at the start and watched the Trojans reach match point in the third game.

With USC leading, 14-12, Monika Cavaliere served for the match, but a kill by Kelly Flannigan kept UCLA’s hopes alive.

“We did a really unwise thing in Game 3,” said USC Coach Lisa Love, whose team is 10-4 and 4-3. “We haven’t been in that position at UCLA too often and we committed a cardinal sin. We celebrated too early.”

Buckner took advantage of the opportunity. She seemed to hang in the air for the rest of the game, slamming down four kills and serving an ace to spark the Bruins’ comeback.

“We just hung around,” said UCLA Coach Andy Banachowski. “I don’t think we played a great match by any means, but we just stayed in there and we didn’t give up. We didn’t want to lose.”

Buckner’s 37 kills rank second behind the UCLA record of 43 set by Natalie Williams in a match against Hawaii in 1991.

“I think it was definitely an emotional high,” Buckner said. “Besides winning the national championship (in 1991), I think this is the second-most exciting.”