Score: UC Davis 3, Cal State Bakersfield 0
Set Scores: 25-17, 25-22, 25-21
Location: Davis, Calif. (University Credit Union Center)
Records: UC Davis 17-8 (12-4), Cal State Bakersfield 12-16 (6-10)
 
The short story: UC Davis volleyball held Cal State Bakersfield to .191 hitting while senior Olivia Utterback finished with a loud 18 kills in a straight-set Aggie victory that clinched their spot in the Big West Championships and allowed them to keep pace at the top of the Big West standings.

FIRST SERVE

• Utterback hit .310, adding 10 digs for a double
• Junior Jade Light sent home 12 kills, adding eight digs and two assists
• Sophomore Mia Starr had 34 assists and added three kills on four attacks (.750) and eight digs
• Senior Julia Ng added seven digs, passing 1,000 digs for her career

WHAT HEAD COACH DAN CONNERS HAD TO SAY
"I thought we were consistent today in our performance. It was a clean offensive night all the way around and we played great on the defensive side as well. 49 digs in three sets is a nice number, so it was great all around defense. Our ability to close out each set I think comes from experience and confidence. They believe in what we are doing, themselves and each other. At the end of sets that is a difference maker. It's also the energy we bring at practice that translates to the game, you play how you practice, and they have bringing it in practice and that has shown in the games."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• With the score tied up at 7-7, junior Makena Morrison took the service line and over the next five points the Aggies would build out the lead they needed to take the opening set
• In that stretch, Morrison had an ace and sophomore Allie Caldwell had one of her six kills to help UC Davis build out a 12-8 lead
• The Aggies held onto the lead for the remainder of the set, taking the final two points to lock up a 25-17 first set win on a kill by sophomore Reese Diersbock
• In the second set, things were competitive and went back-and-forth between the two sides
• As late as 22-22, following a four-point run by Bakersfield, things were tied up as the Aggies looked to finish off a second set victory
• With Morrison serving, the Ags did just that. And a Morrison ace secured a 25-22 second set win and gave UC Davis a commanding 2-0 lead in the match
• Again, Cal State Bakersfield locked in with the goal of not going away easily, tying things up at 20-20
• But the Aggies were up for the task, behind a fired up Dan Conners, UC Davis took five out of the final six points and following an attack error by Cal State Bakersfield gave the Ags the final point they needed to finish off a 25-21 third set win and a straight set victory 

UP NEXT: UC Davis remains at home for the final two regular season matches. First UC Santa Barbara visits Davis on Nov. 21, before a massive possible regular season championship deciding match up against Cal Poly on Nov. 23.
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