Nov. 5, 2005

Box Score

DAVIS, Calif. - Senior outside hitter Ashley Groothius posted a match-high 16 kills and added 16 digs as Pacific posted comeback wins in the first and third games en route to a 30-25, 30-27, 30-27 sweep over UC Davis in non-conference women's volleyball action at the Pavilion Saturday evening.

The Aggies drop to 4-22 for the year. The Tigers improve to 14-10 overall.

Aggie outside hitter Rachel Keener enjoyed a strong performance off the bench for the second straight match. She stepped onto the floor late in Game 2, and totalled eight kills, a .316 hitting average, 10 digs and a solo block in a little more than one game of action.

Sophomore setter Katelyn Astruc paced UC Davis with 17 digs while junior outside hitter Nicole Read led her team with 12 kills and 44 attempts. Groothius had three total blocks -- including a pair of solo stuffs -- and added two aces. Sophomore Kara Uhl contributed 13 kills and 14 digs for the Tigers. She hit 7-2-15 for a .333 success rate in Game 2 alone.

The Aggies jumped out to an early lead in Game 1, bolstered by strong defense on the floor and at the net. Astruc and libero Nichole Brown each had seven digs by the media timeout at 15-10, and junior middle Jenny Pierce enjoyed back-to-back blocks during the early going.

Pacific senior Sidney Bennett posted an ace and a kill to help her team trim the Aggie lead to 15-13, then later served up six straight points to turn a 16-15 deficit into a 20-16 advantage. UC Davis fought back to within two points on two separate occasions, but were unable to reclaim the lead despite a total of 29 digs in the first frame.

The Tigers never trailed in the second game, enjoying a 3-0 run to stretch a tight lead to 15-11, then later picking up two Kara Uhl kills in a 4-0 run to 22-14. Pacific stretched its advantage by as much as 25-16 before UC Davis battled back. Keener had a solo block and a kill while junior middle Katie Wilson knocked down two kills in a 4-0 run to cut the deficit to 26-22. Then later in the game, senior Jill McPheeters had a kill and a block to tie the score at 27-27. Pacific then applied the finishing touches, thanks to kills by Groothius and Uhl and a solo stuff from junior reserve Robin Terry.

In the third game, the Aggies again clawed their way back from an early deficit as Keener served up a 4-0 run to tie the game at 13-13. She later hit back-to-back kills in a 4-0 run that gave the Aggies a 19-16 lead, but the Tigers rallied to tie the score at 21-21 thanks to a block and kill by Groothius.

McPheeters pounded out three kills in a span of five points to allow UC Davis back to a 25-22 advantage, then Pacific again fought its way back to a 25-25 tie. Uhl had a kill at 26-25 and again at 27-26 to keep the Tigers in front down the stretch. Pacific held on to win the third game and claim the match win, capitalizing on two late Aggie attacking errors.

UC Davis returns to action on November 11 with a home match against Cal Poly.

PACIFIC (kills-aces-blocks) - Kara Uhl 13-1-3, Allison Ianni 6-0-0, Johanna Hilbers 1-0-1, Ashley Groothius 16-2-3, Rebecca Mason 0-0-0, Sidney Bennett 10-1-3, Susan Drolllinger 4-0-0, Robin Terry 3-0-2, Julie Magud 0-0-0, Katie Perez 0-0-0, Kelly Campbell 0-0-0. Totals 53-4-8.0. Assists - Allison Ianni 42. Digs leaders - Ashley Groothius 16, Kara Uhl 14, Julie Magud 12.

UC DAVIS (kills-aces-blocks) - Michelle Nelson 0-1-0, Katelyn Astruc 4-0-1, Chantal Paschetta 5-0-0, Katie Wilson 7-0-1, Jenny Pierce 3-1-3, Nicole Read 12-0-1, Jill McPheeters 6-0-3, Rachel Keener 8-0-1, Nichole Brown 0-1-0. Totals 45-3-7.0. Assists - Katelyn Astruc 28. Digs leaders - Katelyn Astruc 17, Nichole Brown 15.