Box Score SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. --- UC Irvine was limited to a .121 hitting percentage in a 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-20) loss at Cal Poly Friday in Big West Conference.
The match belonged to the Mustangs, who raced out to a 7-1 lead. UCI managed to cut into the lead (8-5) following an ace by Sarah Wilder and an unforced error by Chelsea Hardin but the Mustangs responded by going on a 10-3 run to build a 17-8 advantage. UCI never threatened, dropping the set on a service error.
Cal Poly claimed an early 10-6 lead in the second set and would hold off the Anteaters most of the way. UCI shaved the deficit to three on a kill from Sydney Wright (12-9) but the Mustangs responded with a 4-1 run to extend the lead to six at 16-10 as Megan McConnell put away one of her seven kills for Cal Poly. UCI came to within four points on an attack error by Holly Franks but would come no closer and Maddie Kuber found Molly Pon for the kill, giving Cal Poly a two-set lead.
UCI hit .242 for in the final frame for its best set of the match but was unable to overcome an early 10-4 lead by the Mustangs. Cal Poly led by as many as seven points and UCI would eventually trim the lead to five on a kill by Shannon Fleming, who tied for the team-high with nine kills, (23-17) but the Anteaters committed two service errors in the final three points of the match.
The loss dropped the Anteaters to 11-21 and 5-12 in the Big West while Cal Poly climbed to 4-21 (3-14).
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