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Women's Volleyball:
UC Irvine Held Off By No. 25 Long Beach State in Five Sets
Nov. 12, 2008
LONG BEACH, Calif. --- UC Irvine had its five-match win streak snapped as the Anteaters lost to No. 25 Long Beach State 3-2 (25-20, 21-25, 25-18, 21-25, 15-13) Wednesday at The Pyramid. UCI dropped to 14-12 and 9-4 in the Big West with the loss while LBSU climbed to 22-4 (11-2) overall. Lauren Kellerman recorded a season-high 23 kills to lead all players while totaling 18 digs while Kari Pestolesi led all players with a career-high 29 digs while putting away 14 kills. Devon Sutherland also reached the 20-dig mark with 21 scoops. Setter Taryn Robertson totaled 49 assists and 16 digs for the Anteaters. The two teams were even at the net with Alexandra Hauser and LBSU's Cat Highmark registering three block assists apiece to lead their respective programs. The Anteaters were held to a .062 hitting percentage in the first set but still managed to take a 16-13 lead on a kill by Kellerman. The 49ers sliced away at the deficit to tie the score at 18-18 on a kill from Nicole Vargas and consecutive errors by UCI would put LBSU up at 21-19. At 21-20, Long Beach State rattled off the final four points with Caitlin Ledoux putting the ball away just inside the left sideline.
The tide turned in the second frame as UC Irvine blasted a .333 hitting percentage in the set. The Anteaters established an 11-6 lead on three consecutive attack errors by Long Beach State. The Beach chipped at the lead and cut the margin to two at 14-12 on a Vargas service ace but UCI began to pull away at 20-15 on Kellerman's roll shot into the middle of the court. Three straight LBSU points prompted a UCI timeout at 20-18 but a one-handed block by Hauser kept the ball alive and resulted in a 21-18 lead for the Anteaters. Robertson would go to Pestolesi to give the team set point and Kellerman delivered with a soft roller to end the frame.
Inefficiency hurt the Anteaters again in the third set as UCI was held to a .054 average. Long Beach State took a commanding 10-4 lead in the third frame and never looked back. UCI came as close as four points at 12-9 as Pestolesi and Hauser sent back a Brittany Herzog attempt but LBSU responded with five straight points and went on to take the match lead on a UCI miscue. UCI rebounded in set four and held a two-point lead through the midway point of the match. The UCI block of Filkins and Hauser would put the team ahead at 23-18. The 49ers closed the gap to three at 23-20 on a UCI attack error but Hauser put the ball away for set point and Chelsea Ellis crushed the overpass to end the frame. In the deciding set, LBSU jumped out to a 6-2 lead and prompted the side change at 8-4 following a missed serve by Sutherland. The Anteaters managed to close the gap to one at 12-11 and then again at 13-12 on a pair of 49ers attack errors but Long Beach State went to Ledoux for the final two points to seal the win. |
