Smith Puts Up Career-High In Blocks As Anteaters Sweep UC Riverside
October 13, 2011 | Women's Volleyball
RIVERSIDE, Calif. ---Taylor Smith registered a career-high five block assists to lead UCI to 27-25, 25-21, 25-22 sweep over UC Riverside in Big West action Thursday.
The Anteaters (7-10, 2-4) out-blocked the Highlanders (4-16, 1-5) 9-2 with Alexandra Hauser chipping in four blocks and three aces. Aly Squires paced UCI with 10 kills while Shaina Olsen tacked on eight kills and eight digs. Marissa Alvarez topped the team with 13 assists while Mary Carls handed out 10 assists.
UC Riverside pulled away from a tightly contested first frame with a 4-1 run to take a 12-9 lead but the Anteaters responded and stayed within two points until taking a 16-15 edge on a kill from Shannon Fleming. An attack error by UCR's Amanda Vialpando worked UCI's lead to two at 19-17 but UCR's Shelby LeDuff put away a pair of kills to knot the score at 22-22. The two teams traded points until at 25-25 a service error by Megan Reza was followed by an ace from Anteater libero Kristin Winkler to seal the set.
The Highlanders took a slim lead early in the second frame but were unable to shake the Anteaters, who out-scored UCR 6-1 to grab a 10-8 lead on a kill from Squires. UCI extended the lead to three points twice but the Highlanders used a three-point run to tie the frame at 16-16. Squires provided the solo block on Reza following a UCR service error and Reza's unforced miscue would give UCI a 19-16 lead. Smith and Fleming continued UCI's run with a block on Vialpando, giving the team its largest lead of the set at 20-16. UCR came as close as two points at 21-19 but UCI held off the Highlanders and took a two-set edge on an attack error by Bianca Endersby.
UCI jumped out ahead 10-7 in the third set as an Olsen kill was followed by consecutive aces from Hauser. Fleming and Taylor paired up again to deny Vialpando at the net to widen UCI's margin to four at 13-9. The Anteaters then found Squires, Acres and Olsen on three straight plays to take a 17-11 lead. UCR responded with its own four-point run to trim the gap to two at 17-15 and kept pace with UCI until coming to within a point at 23-22 on an attack error by Smith. That would be all for the Highlanders as Alvarez connected with Squires for match point and Smith and Hauser sent back an attempt by Vialpando to end the match.
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