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Women's Volleyball:
UC Irvine Falls to No. 12 Oregon
Sept. 10, 2008 IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine suffered its first straight-set loss of the season, falling 25-20, 25-22, 26-24 to 12th-ranked Oregon Wednesday at Crawford Court. The loss dropped the Anteaters to 3-4 overall while Oregon improved to 6-1. Outside hitter Lauren Kellerman led the Anteaters with 13 kills while adding six digs while Kari Pestolesi added 11 kills, six digs and tied for first on the team with three block assists. Shannan Homan added eight kills and a match-high three solo blocks while Devon Sutherland led all players with 19 digs. Setter Taryn Robertson handed 34 assists and fired one of the team's three service aces. Oregon jumped out to a six-point lead to a 10-4 in the first set. UCI narrowed the margin to four (11-7) on a kill from Chelsea Ellis but the Ducks went on a four-point rally to lead 14-7 on a UCI attack error. The lead extended to eight as Oregon's Heather Meyers sandwiched a pair of UCI errors with two kills (12-20). UCI battled but would get no closer than five points following four consecutive points to close to 23-19 and prompt an Oregon timeout. Robertson's service error would close out the set. The two teams battled in the second set. Oregon took a 10-8 lead by a kill by Gorana Maricic but the Anteaters tied the set at 10-10 on a Robertson kill and a Duck error. Homan's put-away gave UCI its first lead of the night with a kill. However, leading 22-21, UC Irvine saw Oregon score four straight points to take a two-set lead.
Oregon again established the early lead at 10-7 but UCI would tie the frame on block assists by Pestolesi and Ellis. The Anteaters used a 4-1 run, capped by a kill from Kellerman to lead 19-16 but the Ducks outscored UCI 5-1 to claim the 21-20 edge. Oregon served for match point at 24-22 but a kill by Pestolesi and a block at the net from Ellis and Pestolesi knotted the score at 24 points apiece. Oregon handled a tough serve from McCall Miller to take a one-point lead and closed out the match on a kill from Sonja Newcombe.
UC Irvine competes in the Four Points Sheraton LAX/LMU Volleyball Classic this Friday and Saturday (Sept. 12-13) at Loyola Marymount. The Anteaters take on San Jose State in their opening match. |
