Box Score Aug. 30, 2014 Final Stats
HOUSTON - Junior outside hitter
Kaylin Squyres compiled a total of 47 kills in nine total sets on Saturday to earn Rice Invitational all-tournament honors, but UC Davis ultimately dropped both of its Day 2 matches to move to 0-3. The Aggies lost to Fresno State in a five-set marathon in the afternoon session, then fall to Louisiana-Layafayette in four in Saturday's nightcap.
Squyres, who tied her career high of 24 kills against the Bulldogs, followed with 23 kills, a .326 hitting average and 12 digs in a 25-20, 20-25, 25-18, 25-21 loss to the Ragin' Cajuns. Senior Valerie Brain chipped in eight kills and a .312 clip.
UC Davis enjoyed its best overall hitting in the second set, firing 15 kills with just four hitting errors en route to a .367 clip. Squyres went 7-for-11 in the frame, while senior Katie Quinn and junior Jillian Johnson combined in three different blocks, including two to help pull away from a tight 13-12 margin. The Aggies also put themselves in position to take a 2-1 match advantage when they stormed to leads of 10-6 and 15-10 in the third. The Cajuns answered with nine of the next 10 points to take over the frame. Senior Kaylee Nemeth posted five of her 11 total kills in that pivotal third set.
Squyres' offense put the Aggies to within a 12-10 margin midway through the fourth before two Chanelle Gardner blocks highlighted a 6-1 run that supplied at least a five-point cushion for most of the set. Quinn and Squyres scored late kills to help UC Davis fight of three match points, but Stacey Reilly converted the winner.
In Saturday's afternoon match, senior Megan Lancaster recorded a career-high 27 digs while Squyres tied her lifetime best of 24 kills, but struggles at the service line ultimately doomed the Aggies in a five-set, 19-25, 25-21, 28-26, 22-25, 15-11 loss to Fresno State.
Squyres' offensive output matched the 24 kills she hit at LSU in a four-set match almost exactly one year ago. Lancaster eclipsed the 26-dig performance she had last November against Cal State Fullerton. Sophomore Allie Wegener also put up her first career 20-kill match, and nearly doubled her previous high with 60 total swings. Wegener also picked up 18 digs, two more than her old superlative.
Redshirt freshman Aima Eichie added to the list of key career highs with seven block assists.
Squyres and Wegener each had five kills in the first-set victory, while Johnson served up three of her four aces for the match. Fresno State managed just seven total kills, trailing the Aggies wire-to-wire. However, the Bulldogs improved to .238 hitting and 4.0 blocks in a second set that featured 13 ties and seven lead changes. Lancaster did her part with 10 digs but the net defense of Fresno State's Haylee Roberts and Molly Pearson highlighted a late 7-1 run that flipped an 18-16 Aggie lead to a sizable Bulldog finish.
Both teams found their offensive stride in the third set, with UC Davis delivering 17 kills -- seven each by Wegener and Squyres. Fresno State totaled 18 kills and a .366 average, with Carly Scarbrough leading the way with a 9-1-15 hitting chart. Nevertheless, the serving played a major factor down the stretch. The Aggies took a 23-22 lead on a Johnson ace before Scarbrough scored back-to-back kills in establishing a 24-23 set point for the 'Dogs. On two occasions in the final seven points, UC Davis converted sideouts only to commit service errors on the ensuing point. Eichie and Quinn teamed up for a block to make it 26-26, but Zana Bowens followed with consecutive kills to seal the third-set win for the Bulldogs.
The Aggies recovered in the fourth set to tie the match, this time getting three kills off the bench from the veteran Brain. Quinn and Eichie continued to perform at the net, scoring two blocks in a 3-1 run that gave UC Davis the lead for good. The Bulldogs never cut the deficit to less than two in the second half of the frame, allowing the Aggies to force the fifth set.
UC Davis fell into a 5-0 hole to start the rubber game. Eichie took part in back-to-back stuffs to get the Aggies to within 6-4, but Pearson and Bowens led a 6-1 Bulldog run that effectively put the set out of reach. UC Davis suffered three more service errors in the final seven points as FSU pulled away to the win.
The Aggies return to California for a mid-week match at Saint Mary's on Wednesday, then host Portland and San Jose State in a three-match round robin for their home opener on Sept. 6-7.
