Anteaters Start Strong But Fall To Cal State Northridge
October 12, 2013 | Women's Volleyball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. --- UC Irvine won the first set against Cal State Northridge but lost the next three frames, losing 3-1 (19-25, 25-16, 25-22, 25-16) Saturday at the Matadome. The loss drops the Anteaters to 9-10 (0-5) overall while the Matadors hold onto their perfect Big West mark at 5-0 (15-3 overall).
Marisa Bubica posted a .381 hitting percentage, knocking down 10 of 21 attempts with two errors to go along with four blocks. Aly Squires also notched 10 kills while Arielle Manz totaled seven kills and three block assists. Shelley Anderson was errorless in 11 attempts, posting six kills while handing out 34 assists and firing a team-high three aces. Molly Yoder topped all players with 15 digs while Arden Davis scooped up 10.
Shannon Fleming served for five straight points in the first as the Anteaters jumped out to a 5-0 lead before the Matadors would get on the board on the service error by Fleming. CSUN trimmed the lead to two (11-9) on consecutive kills from Mahina Haina, but UCI reeled off three straight points, capped by a block from Anderson and Fleming on Haina to reclaim a five-point edge (14-9). UCI opened its largest lead of six at 22-16 on a shot down the line from Squires and went on to take the first set on an ace by Anderson that dropped in the corner.
Consecutive aces and an ace from Anderson gave UCI a 3-1 lead in the second but CSUN rallied, scoring five straight to wrestle away an 8-5 edge. Natalie Allen and Sam Kaul paired up to stop Squires at the net and open a 12-7 lead but the Anteaters battled and cut the lead to one on a cross-court shot from Bubica. Allen came through for the Matadors again with a roll shot and Pickrell's attempt on the next play hit the antenna to give CSUN a four-point lead (20-16). The Matadors went to Allen, who hit a cross-court blast to get to set point and Pickrell's attempt just fell long as CSUN evened the match.
UCI came out of the break on fire, speeding out to a 7-1 lead in the third. Anderson knocked a serve off the tape for her third ace (8-1) and Bubica delivered by forcing the ball through the Matador block to maintain the seven-point lead (10-3). However, the Matadors used a three-point run to cut into the deficit to 12-9 and then took hold of a 16-15 lead on a block from Casey Hinger. The lead was short-lived as UCI knotted the score at 19-19 as an attack by Hinger went long. The two teams traded points and at 22-22, the Matadors scored the final three points to take a 2-1 set lead.
UCI started off the fourth strong again, taking a 5-1 lead but the Matadors worked their way back into the set with a 5-0 run to claim a 6-5 lead. The Anteaters were unable to hold off CSUN, which scored on four consecutive plays to open a 9-6 margin. A timeout by UCI did not stem CSUN's offense as Hinger knocked down an assist Gedryn and then doubled up with Haina to deny Squires for the 11-6 advantage. The Matadors began to pull away, scoring four unanswered points to take an 18-10 lead and went on to take the match with a 25-16 decision.
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