DAVIS, Calif. -- Freshman
Olivia Utterback recorded a triple-double, finishing with 11 kills, 10 digs, and 10 blocks, ending the day as one of three Aggies in double figures, and host UC Davis was stout at the net, out-blocking UC Santa Barbara by a 19-6 count, en route to handing the Gauchos their first Big West Conference defeat of the season, 3-1 (27-25, 25-21, 18-25, 25-23), on Saturday afternoon at the University Credit Union Center.
The Aggies improved to 6-13 overall and 2-6 in league play, ending a six-match skid overall and a three-match losing streak in the series with UCSB. The Gauchos fell to 11-9 overall and 7-1 in conference.
Utterback's efforts, which included a .450 hitting percentage, were complimented by junior
Josephine Ough, who added a career-high 12 blocks to go with her 10 kills and .348 hitting percentage on the night. Freshman
Amara Aimufua added 10 kills, five blocks of her own and four digs.
The Big West's leading force at the net, Ough's 12 blocks are tied for the second-most in a single match in school history and the most since Kelechi Ohiri collected 12 against Cal Poly on Nov. 24, 2015. The total trails only Kelly Spaulding's 16 blocks at Cal Poly Pomona in 1998 in the school's annals.
Meanwhile, the team's 19 blocks on Saturday were just one shy of the school's record in a four-set match after the Aggies collected 20 in that same match against Cal Poly Pomona.
Adding to the defensive effort, sophomore
Shira Lahav scooped up a team-high 15 digs, while
Perri Starkey chipped in 11 more.
After four straight matches at home, UC Davis hits the road next week for a pair in Southern California, taking on Cal State Fullerton on Friday (Oct. 22) and at Long Beach State on Saturday (Oct. 23). Both matches start at 7 p.m.
Â
ABOUT UC DAVIS
Centrally located between San Francisco and Lake Tahoe, over 700 student-athletes across 25 teams enjoy an unrivaled undergraduate experience at the fifth-ranked public school in the country.Â
Ranked annually in the nation's top 10 in diversity and students' social mobility, UC Davis and its innovative Aggie EVO System helps student-athletes develop passions, connect with a comprehensive network of alums and industry leaders, gain real-world experience and thrive as a young professional following a successful launch to full-time employment or graduate school.Â