Box Score NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – In a reversal of fortunes from last night, CSUN rallied from 0-2 to beat UC Irvine, 3-2 (20-25, 19-25, 25-20, 25-15, 15-11) at the Matadome Saturday.
UCI hit .364 (28-8-55) in the first two sets then went cold hitting just .104 (29-17-115) over the next three. Much like the first meeting, the Anteaters led the Matadors in several statistical categories: kills (57-53), aces (8-6) and blocks (9-5). CSUN hit only slightly better .200-.188 and had two more digs (69-67).
The Anteaters snap a three-match winning streak and go to 10-14 overall and 5-5 in the Big West. CSUN is 7-15 overall and 3-7 in league action.
Opposite Harlee Kekauoha tied her career-high with five aces, while leading the team with 13 kills. She also recorded 11 digs and two blocks. Outside hitters Haley DeSales and Victoria Dennis each added 10 kills, while libero Luna Tsujimoto tied her career-best with 26 digs. In the middle, Danielle Geiger posted nine kills and five blocks. Setter Shelley Anderson totaled 43 set assists and six digs.
Julie Haake and Aeryn Owens paced CSUN with 14 kills each. Owens also had 11 digs, second on the team behind Katie Sato's 25 digs.
Harlee Kekauoha took control of the first set with a kill and back-to-back aces, 15-12. A kill by Haley DeSales and an ace by Shelley Anderson extended the lead to 19-16. CSUN hung around and edged to 21-20 on an Anteater attack error. A Matador service error was followed by two blocks and an ace by Kekauoha to close out the set, 25-20.
A 4-0 run that included two more Kekauoha aces put the Anteaters in front 11-4 in the second set. Kills by Anderson and Victoria Dennis and a Matador error gave UCI the 17-10 advantage. After an Anderson kill (24-17), the Matadors fought off two set points before a CSUN service error helped the Anteaters to a 25-19 victory.
CSUN pulled away 17-14 in the third set on a pair of Anteater errors and a kill by Lauren Conati. A kill and solo block by Loryn Carter moved the Anteaters to 19-17, but the Matadors would score the next three and take the set 25-20.
Four straight UCI errors helped CSUN to an early 7-3 lead in the fourth and they would never relinquish the lead winning 25-15.
Another 4-0 run by CSUN opened up the final set 7-3 and the Matadors would roll to a 15-11 victory.
UCI returns home to host Cal Poly Thursday (No. 3) and UC Santa Barbara Saturday (Nov. 5). First serve at the Bren Events Center begins at 7:00 p.m.
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