RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Sophomore middle blocker Kelechi Ohiri figured on nine of her team's 16 blocks while seniors Aima Eichie and Kendall Walbrecht combined for 18 kills and just two attacking errors, helping UC Davis capture a four-set 25-19, 25-18, 20-25, 25-20 victory over UC Riverside in Big West Conference women's volleyball action at the Student Rec Center Tuesday night.

The Aggies even their overall record to 13-13 and improve to 6-7 in league play. The Highlanders slip to 7-17 for the year, 2-10 in conference.

Ohiri added eight kills and a .294 average to her match-high net defense. Eichie was involved five of the 16 stuffs, and hit eight kills en route to a .500 success rate. Walbrecht hit 10-1-30 for a .300 clip, while freshman outside hitter Lauren Matias provided a double-double with a team-best 14 kills and 12 digs. Sophomore libero Malia Bolko paced UC Davis with 18 digs. Overall, the Aggie defense stifled UC Riverside to a .045 hitting average.

For the Highlanders, senior outside hitter Cristina Maietta totaled 12 kills on 39 swings, with most of that output coming in her team's third-set victory. Senior libero Maddie Hubbell led all players with 22 digs with freshman Frances Camandang providing another 13 gets. Junior middle blocker Meg Graham led UCR with seven block assists.

Walbrecht scored a kill then teamed up with Eichie for a pair of blocks in a run of six straight points that helped UC Davis break loose from an early 7-7 tie in the opening set. Highlander freshman Mickayla Sherman later sparked UCR to pull within a single point at 18-17, but kills from sophomores Emily Allen and Brianna Karsseboom plus a service ace by Bolko stretched the Aggie lead back to 21-17. The Aggies maintained at least that edge down the stretch to claim the initial match lead.

The Highlanders stumbled to three straight hitting errors to spot their guests an 8-4 start to the second set. Ohiri contributed on three of her team's four total blocks in that set to help propel the Aggies to a 2-0 match lead. UC Davis needed just nine kills to take the set, as UCR suffered from 14 total attacking errors and a minus-.089 average. Bolko picked up six of the Aggies' 19 digs in the second, also helping to contain the Highlander offense.

UCR's Maietta unloaded for five kills and a block assist to boost her team to a 14-8 lead in the third set. The Highlanders continue to hold a comfortable lead until a 6-0 Aggie run reduced a 17-10 edge to just a one-point, 17-16 advantage. Matias put down three kills and a block in that comeback, mostly in support of setter Sophia Mar at the service line. UC Davis later pulled to within one-point deficits at 20-19 and 21-20, could not equalize. Two more Maietta kills – her sixth and seventh of the set – provided the Highlanders with a 24-20 set point, then Chelsea Doyle's tip fill into the Aggie midcourt to complete the win and prevent a match sweep.

UC Davis pulled away from an early battle when Matias and Eichie teamed up for a pair of blocks to highlight an 8-1 run that resulted in a 15-8 lead and a UCR timeout. The Highlanders battled back to within a 17-16 deficit on a Sherman tool, but the Aggies held off their hosts. Ohiri and Karsseboom combined for two stuffs to extend their edge to 19-16 and later, 20-17. Walbrecht hammered out two more kills and setter Maddie Merlino served up an ace down the stretch to help UC Davis maintain at least a three-point edge for the remainder of the match.

Holding the Highlanders to .045 hitting marked the Aggies' lowest opposing average since Omaha managed just .016 during a season-opening tournament at North Dakota. Meanwhile, UC Davis' 16 team blocks is the highest since stuffing 19 in five sets against Southern Utah at the Nevada Tournament in mid-September.

The Aggies host No. 14 Hawai'i on Saturday. First serve is 7 p.m.