DAVIS, Calif. -- Senior libero
Malia Bolko picked up 13 digs but UC Davis recorded more attacking errors than kills in falling to No. 16 Cal Poly by a 25-16, 25-7, 25-17 sweep during Big West Conference women's volleyball action at the Pavilion Thursday night.
The Aggies snap their season-long win streak at seven, falling to 16-10 overall and 8-7 in Big West play. The Mustangs improve to 22-2 for the year and 12-0 in conference.
Senior opposite
Nicola Moore had six kills while fellow right-sider
Leonie Strehl added five to lead UC Davis offensively. Strehl and sophomore
Alexa Rockas teamed up for the lone Aggie block. Overall, UC Davis totaled just 23 kills to Cal Poly's 36, and suffered 31 hitting errors to the Mustangs' 11.
Junior opposite Torrey Van Winden led all players with 12 kills while her older sister, Adlee, added 8-1-13 hitting and a .538 average. Freshman middle blocker Meredith Phillips provided another 7-for-11 on offense and contributed on six of her team's 15 blocks.
UC Davis trailed wire-to-wire in the opening set and struggled to 12 errors and minus-.267 hitting in the second, but managed to battle early in the third. Strehl had two kills and her block assist to keep the Aggies engaged in a 6-6 tie. However, Torrey Van Winden put down two kills in an 8-1 run for Cal Poly in crafting a 17-9 lead, and the Mustangs maintained at least a six-point advantage the rest of the way.
The Aggies return to action for their home finale on Saturday afternoon against UC Santa Barbara. The team will honor seniors Moore, Bolko,
Emily Allen,
Brianna Karsseboom,
Lauren Jackson and
Maddie Merlino prior to the 2 p.m. first serve.
ABOUT UC DAVIS: Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley. The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation according to the Wall Street Journal, and among the top 10 public universities nationwide according to U.S. News and World Report, UC Davis offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.
AGGIE EVO: Established in 2017-18, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation. Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis. Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.
