Sept. 13, 2007
Box Score
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Sophomore opposite Lindsy Evans and outside hitter Nina Sevastopoulos combined for 40 kills in leading 22nd-ranked Santa Clara to a 30-25, 30-24, 31-33, 30-24 win over UC Davis in non-conference women's volleyball action at the Leavey Center Thursday evening.
The Aggies drop to 3-7 overall. The Broncos improve to 7-3 for the season.
Junior Renee Ibekwe led UC Davis with 15 total kills while fellow junior Erin Turner made a strong return from an injury hiatus with season-best marks of 13 kills and 13 digs. Turner had six of her kills and three of her six total blocks in the Aggies' Game 3 win.
UC Davis managed to hang tough with its host in Game 1 until a pair of Sevastopoulos kills helped the Broncos pull away to a 26-20 lead. Freshman Kayla Varney managed two kills down the stretch but SCU kept the Aggies at bay in a five-point win in the opener. Similarly, the Aggies closed down an early Bronco edge in Game 2, tying the frame at 20-20. However, junior left-sider Brittany Lowe served up a service ace in a stretch of three straight points to take the lead for good.
The Aggies popped 21 kills in their Game 3 victory, taking a 14-11 lead, falling behind to a 23-20 deficit, then recovering to a 27-25 edge behind the serving of senior middle Kelly Patterson. UC Davis held a 29-27 game point but 5-foot-11 setter Crystal Matich held off the charge with a kill and a solo block to tie the set at 29-29. SCU even held a match-point footing at 31-30, but Ibekwe, Patterson and freshman Diana Gustafson recorded three straight kills to close the match score to 2-1.
UC Davis demonstrated its resolve early in Game 4, fighting back from an 11-7 deficit to an 18-17 lead. Sevastopoulos closed out the game -- and the match -- with a run of five kills in seven points, returning the margin to 24-19 in favor of the Broncos. The Aggies never closed the gap to less than five as SCU protected the victory.
As a team, the Aggies hit .216 for the match but surrendered 14 points on service errors. The Broncos also outdug UC Davis by a 69-56 margin, getting 21 from senior libero Caroline Walters.
The Aggies return to action at Saint Mary's on Saturday before beginning Big West Conference play at home against Pacific on September 19.
