Renteria Comes Off Bench to Spark UCLA Volleyball

The top-ranked UCLA women’s volleyball team had to turn to its bench only seven points into the match Friday night but still pulled off a 15-10, 15-3, 15-3 sweep of sixth-ranked USC at the Lyon Center.

Reserve middle blocker Irene Renteria replaced Lisa Hudak with the Bruins trailing, 7-0. UCLA scored the next nine points and never relinquished the lead thereafter.

The Bruins’ victory, before a crowd of 1,017, improved their record to 15-0 overall, 9-0 in Pacific 10 Conference. USC dropped to 12-4 and 7-2.

Hudak had played in all 14 previous matches for the Bruins, but, after coming off the bench in the first game, Renteria started the second and third games against USC.

“(Hudak) didn’t have a good warm-up,” UCLA Coach Andy Banachowski said. “You don’t always put a lot of bearing on that, but then she had a few miscues.”

Renteria was considered the nation’s top recruit as a senior at Clark High in Las Vegas in 1989 but has taken a back-up role since coming to UCLA. Banachowski asked Renteria if she would like to redshirt this season, but she declined, saying she wanted to remain a part of the team, even if that meant sitting on the bench.

“It’s nice seeing the wins and the two national championships, and to me, that’s a lot better than starting,” Renteria said.

UCLA’s Elaine Youngs led all players with 17 kills. Renteria added seven kills, eight digs and two blocks.

USC was led by Katie Haller, who had seven kills. Haller, a left-side hitter and the Trojans’ best player, was up against UCLA’s Natalie Williams, a two-time most valuable player during the past two NCAA championships.

Williams had nine kills, eight digs and two blocks.

UCLA has won the past 10 matches between the teams, and the Bruins lead the all-time series with the Trojans, 39-28.