After falling to Michigan State and Michigan to open the season, Miami volleyball couldn’t find its first win Friday night, falling to UCLA (25-20, 25-20, 25-23).
The newly-named Freeman Indoor Stadium was loud from the jump for Miami’s home-opener, with Canes fans cheering from the stands and erupting with jeers whenever UCLA got a chance to serve.
Miami entered the season coming off a 27-6 campaign in 2025 that ended with a second round NCAA Tournament loss to Kansas. But after three losses early in the season, the Canes have struggled to find the same rhythm.
The numbers show a close match in some ways. Miami and UCLA each finished with 38 kills, but UCLA attacked more efficiently, hitting .310 compared to Miami’s .188 and committed eight less attack errors with 12 compared to Miami’s 20.
Miami came out of the first set looking like they might be able to keep up with the Bruins.
The 6-foot-2 freshman Ruth Martinez quickly made her presence known, recording four early kills in the first set. Sophomore transfer Asia Harvey added a kill, while Miami’s defense kept UCLA from pulling away.
Martinez’s kill put UM up 11-7 and forced UCLA to call its first timeout of the match, but the lead didn’t last long.
After Miami used its first challenge unsuccessfully, the Bruins came out of the timeout with a run of their own and eventually took the first set 25-20.
The second set followed a similar pattern as the Canes stayed within reach and eventually tied the set 14-14 after a UCLA attack error. However, the Bruins responded immediately with three consecutive points, putting Miami in another hole.
Communication became an issue for Miami, with a few miscommunications between players giving UCLA easy points. Those small mistakes added up in a match where Miami was often within just a few points of the Bruins.
With UCLA leading 19-14 in the second set, Miami finally put together a run. Junior Ariana Rodriguez recorded an ace, followed by two kills by standout freshman Ella Thompson, cutting the Bruins’ lead to 19-17 and forcing UCLA to call a timeout.
Head coach of the Hurricanes, Joes ‘Keno’ Gandara, made a bold move by using their second and last challenge of the match, but the call was again unsuccessful. With both challenges gone before halftime, the Hurricanes had no challenges remaining for the rest of the match.
Following Miami’s unsuccessful challenge the Bruins scored three back to back points leading to UCLA’s close out of the second set 25-20.
Then came the third set, and Miami came alive.
UM looked more coordinated and settled into the match offensively. Martinez, who had been quieter in the second set, returned and put up 11 kills while hitting .474.
Harvey then came up with back to back kills to put Miami ahead 21-19, forcing UCLA into a timeout.
For a moment, Miami looked like they could’ve forced a fourth set.
After a yellow card to the Bruins’ bench was upgraded to a red card, Miami took a 23-21 lead. UCLA answered immediately, tying the set at 23-23. Brooke Harwood then recorded three consecutive kills to close out the set and give UCLA the 25-23 win.
The Hurricanes now sit at 0-3 after a season in which they entered with much higher expectations following last year’s NCAA Tournament appearance.
Miami will get another chance to pick up its first win Saturday when it faces UCLA again at 4 p.m. tomorrow Sept. 5.