Nov. 8, 2008
Final Stats
RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Senior outside hitter Renee Ibekwe pounded out 15 kills while sophomore Kayla Varney added nine kills and a match-high 21 digs to lead UC Davis to a four-set, 25-19, 13-25, 25-16, 25-17 win over UC Riverside in Big West Conference women's volleyball action at the Student Recreation Center Saturday evening.
The Aggies improve to 12-14 overall and 4-9 in conference play. The Highlanders slip to 8-19 for the season and 3-9 in Big West matches.
In addition to the left-side offense of Ibekwe and Varney, middle blockers Julie King and Katie Denny each had nine kills for UC Davis. Denny committed just two hitting errors for the night, while King assisted on five blocks. Setter Carson Lowden hit 5-0-9 on offense, while posting five block assists on net defense.
For UCR, senior Kelly Fink posted 15 kills with a .483 hitting average, while adding five blocks and 10 digs defensively. Middle blocker Shannon Moyneur recorded a match-high nine blocks as part of her team's 13.5 stuffs.
Ibekwe had back-to-back kills and senior Michelle Nelson served up an ace during a 6-0 run that helped UC Davis overcome a 13-11 deficit in the first-set win. Denny hit 4-for-6 in that game, helping the Aggies tally 16 kills. The Highlanders responded with a dominating second set, opening with five unanswered then extending the lead to 19-9 behind Fink's offense. UCR hit .375 in the second, getting 5-0-6 hitting from Fink.
Denny had two blocks and a kill in the middle stretches of the third set, helping UC Davis break away to a 17-9 lead. Moyneur and fellow middle Raquel Salinas combined on two blocks to cut the deficit to 17-13, then Ibekwe and senior Chantal Paschetta scored consecutive kills to restore the Aggie advantage to 20-13. Varney had two kills down the stretch and King and Lowden combined for the set-winning block, providing UC Davis with a 2-1 match lead.
UC Riverside appeared prime to tie the match and force a fifth set, crafting a 14-11 lead in the fourth frame. UC Davis managed to bounce back to a 16-16 tie, then Paschetta's ace pushed the Aggies up by one. Highlander junior Dominique Cowling tied the frame at 17-17, but that proved to be the final UCR point. Lowden and King paired up for two kills and Lowden provided the match-winning kill as UC Davis scored eight straight to close out the match.
Paschetta and sophomore Melanie Adams combined for 15 kills on 34 swings from the right side. Junior Avreeta Singh tallied 12 kills to match Ibekwe's total.
UC Davis closes out its season with three straight home matches, starting with a Big West Conference tilt with Cal State Fullerton on Friday, Nov. 14.
