DAVIS, Calif. -- Senior outside hitter
Emily Allen tallied a match-high 17 kills while sophomore middle blocker
Alexa Rockas notched an 11-0-16 attacking chart, leading UC Davis to a 25-19, 25-17, 25-18 sweep of Utah Valley in the season-opening Aggie Invitational volleyball tournament at the Pavilion Friday.
The Aggies open at 1-0 for the 2018 season.
Allen and Rockas were the only UC Davis players with double-digit offense, but the Aggies put down 49 kills en route to a .366 success rate in their tournament victory. Senior libero
Malia Bolko led the floor defense with 13 digs and served up three of her team's seven aces. Two true freshmen, middle blocker
Josie Ough and setter
Jane Seslar, made their UC Davis debuts. Ought had five kills and two blocks, while Seslar came in for a key serving run to close out the second set.
MATCH NOTES & HIGHLIGHTS
• UC Davis hit .424 (17-3-33) and .423 (15-4-26) in the first and second set, respectively... The .366 average is the highest since going .383 against Cal State Fullerton at home on Nov. 2, 2017.
• Allen hit six kills in the second set, including three during the team's 8-2 finish to the frame... Seslar made her collegiate debut in that run, serving up five straight points and recording an ace and a dig.
• Freshman OH Kazna Tarawhiti led the Wolverines with 13 kills and three blocks.
• UC Davis scored five straight to flip an 8-6 deficit into an 11-8 lead in the second, then similarly employed a 6-1 run to turn a 7-5 early hole into an 11-8 advantage in the third.
• Aggie senior libero
Malia Bolko raised her career digs total to 1,427, putting her just 19 behind Mary McClelland (2001-04) for third on the program leaderboard.
Nevada swept each of Northern Arizona and Holy Cross in Friday's portion of the three-day tournament. The Aggie Invitational continues on Saturday, with UC Davis facing Holy Cross (noon) and Nevada (7 p.m.). UVU and NAU open the second-day action at 10 a.m.
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. 6-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.
