UC Irvine
LSU
Dennis Has Career-High As Anteaters Handle LSU
August 28, 2015 | Women's Volleyball
AUSTIN, Texas --- Victoria Dennis posted a career-high 22 kills to lead all players as UC Irvine opened the 2015 season with a 25-22, 27-25, 22-25, 25-14 win over first-time opponent LSU Friday afternoon at the American Campus Classic in Austin, Tex.
"The LSU win is a great start for us and we are proud of our girls for making adjustment and being resilient when we were in tight situations," said head coach Ashlie Hain. "I thought our upperclassmen led well and our freshmen were able to hold their own."
Marisa Bubica posted 16 kills for the offense as the outside hitter logged a .355 hitting percentage. Freshman Harlee Kekauoha hit .400 in her first collegiate contest and knocked down 11 of 20 attempts with three errors to go along with an ace and eight digs. Ella Rosenfeld committed just one error in 15 swings and totaled eight kills to hit .467 and had three block assists. Arden Davis led all players with 23 digs and Shelley Anderson totaled 40 assists with four kills and a pair of block assists.
The Anteaters capitalized on early LSU errors to take a 4-2 lead but that advantage was short-lived as the Tigers out-scored UCI 7-1 (12-8). Kills from Dennis and Bubica highlighted a three-point spurt by the 'Eaters to cut the gap to two at 12-10 but it was a seven-point UCI run that put the set in the Anteaters' favor. Trailing 17-14, Anderson went to Kekauoha for a kill and Dennis and Idara Akapakpa, also making her collegiate debut, paired up to deny Tiara Gibson to tie the score (17-17). LSU came out of the timeout with an unforced error and Dennis followed with a solo block on Elly Ogle before crushing the ball for a point as LSU used its final timeout. An error by Leak stretched UCI's lead to four at 21-17 but Gina Tillis pulled the Tigers back into the match with a pair of kills and LSU would catch UCI at 21 points apiece. That would be the final push for LSU as UCI took advantage of two unforced Tiger miscues and used a 5-1 run to win the set.
Dennis, who hit .333 in the first set, continued to fire on all cylinders in the second frame. UCI out-hit LSU .325 - .171 and edged out to a 12-10 lead on a kill from Dennis. However, the Tigers went on a four-point run to push forward at 14-12. Anderson went to Dennis and Bubica on back-to-back plays to tie the score at 14 points apiece and it was Dennis again with the kill to give the 'Eaters a 15-14 lead. The battle continued with LSU grabbing a 19-17 lead but UCI Rallied behind Bubica, who paired a kill with an unforced LSU error (19-19). A pair of unforced errors by Dennis led to a Tiger lead at 24-22 but the outside hitter bounced back with a consecutive kills hold off set point. Kekauoha aced Eugene for the one-point lead (25-24) and it was Dennis again, who came up clutch to give UCI set point before an unforced error by Cati Leak would give UCI the win in the second frame.
UCI's offense faltered in the third as the Anteaters were held to a .086 hitting percentage. LSU out-blocked UCI 5-2 but the Anteaters were able to keep the set close and trailed by one at the media timeout. LSU began to edge away, taking a 20-17 lead on the block by Lindsay Flory and a kill from Ehrle. UCI came to within a point (21-20) as Anderson and Akpakpa sent back an attempt by Eugene. The Tigers held off UCI, avoiding the sweep with a 25-22 decision.
The Anteaters' roared back in the fourth, hitting a match-best .438 in the final frame. UCI sped out to a 12-1 lead with Emily Blair spreading the offense and using four Anteater hitters. LSU rallied to cut UCI's lead to seven points (16-9) and Hain would take a timeout to halt the rally. Tillis and Leak carried the offense for the Tigers but UCI would handily hold off the Tigers, winning the match on a kill from Dennis.
UCI takes on third-ranked Texas Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. before facing Rice at 3:00 p.m.
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