Aug. 30, 2008

Final Stats

FRESNO, Calif. - Senior outside hitter Renee Ibekwe totalled 31 kills in seven sets to lead UC Davis to a pair of wins on the second day of the Fresno State Invitational women's volleyball tournament Saturday. The Aggies opened with a 27-25, 25-21, 25-20 sweep over the host Bulldogs during the afternoon action, then claimed a 25-16, 11-25, 25-22, 25-21 win over Cal State Bakersfield in the nightcap.

The Aggies pick up their first two wins under new head coach Jamie Holmes, improving to 2-1 for the season.

Ibekwe had 16 kills while freshman Keala Peterson added 10 kills against no errors in the win over the Roadrunners. Senior opposite Chantal Paschetta provided seven kills on offense and three block assists defensively in the evening match. Previously, Ibekwe had sprung for 15 kills, 21 digs and a solo block in the opener against the Bulldogs. For the tournament, she averaged 4.1 kills per set and hit .287 overall.

As a team, the Aggies amassed 13 kills against just one error in a dominate first set against the Roadrunners. UC Davis jumped out to leads of 5-1 and later 12-4, never trailing in the 25-16 victory. However, the tables turned in Set 2, as Sarah Norman posted five kills in an ace to lead CSUB to a .444 hitting average in a 25-11 win.

In the Aggies' third-set win, Ibekwe put down two kills and Paschetta served up an ace in the middle stretch to provide UC Davis with a 17-13 lead. The 'Runners closed the gap to a single point later in the set, but the Aggies never trailed the rest of the way. The Aggies finished strong in the fourth set, coming back from a 17-14 deficit to take the four-point win.

UC Davis tallied eight team blocks in the afternoon win over FSU, including four from the senior Paschetta and three each from freshmen Katie Denny and Lauren DeCelles. The Aggies and Bulldogs battled to a close first set, with FSU taking a 21-17 lead behind consecutive Brianna Clarke kills. UC Davis capitalized on a pair of Bulldog hitting errors, then Paschetta scored back-to-back kills to push her team to a 23-22 edge.

The Bulldogs claimed a 25-24 set point on Tairyn Rasmussen's kill, but Ibekwe knocked down two kills down the stretch to give the Aggies the early match lead.

UC Davis never trailed for the remainder of the match. Varney hit three straight kills in the early going of Set 2, while setter Carson Lowden contributed in two of her team's four blocks in the 25-21 win. Ibekwe then ignited the Aggies with her solo block to open the third set, and totalled five kills in that game to help UC Davis to the 25-20 win.

The 3-0 win over Fresno State was the first Aggie sweep since taking a similar win over UC Riverside late in the 2006 season.

Ibekwe and Paschetta each were named to the all-tournament team at the conclusion of Saturday's action. Also making the squad was Stribling (CSUB), Brianna Clarke (FSU), Taylor Groess (Saint Mary's) and Shannon Lowell (Saint Mary's). A third Gael, outside hitter Megan York, was named as tourney MVP.

UC Davis returns to action on September 5, facing North Carolina State to open the two-day Air Force Invitational.