Sept. 26, 2008

Final Stats

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - Senior Val Kepler had a team-high 15 kills to lead three Northridge hitters in double figures but the Matadors dropped their Big West Conference opener to visiting UC Santa Barbara 25-27, 25-16, 28-26, 22-25, 15-12 Friday at The Matadome.

With the win, the Gauchos improve to 5-7 overall and 1-0 in the Big West. Northridge drops its fifth straight match as the Matadors slip to 5-8 overall and 0-1 in conference play.

Kepler easily had her best match of the season as the senior from Simi Valley hit .500 with a season-high 15 kills and just two errors in 26 swings. She also added eight blocks (one solo) to lead the Matadors with 19.5 points. Junior Angela Hupp and sophomore Lynda Morales each added 13 kills with Morales hitting .320 and Hupp .250. Hupp also added 14 digs for her third double-double of the 2008 season. Siara Grayson and Brittany Williams each chipped in nine kills while Grayson also had four aces, a career-high 14 digs and four blocks (two solo).

The Matadors out-hit the Gauchos .184 (63-29-185) to .169 (57-27-177) and had 19.5 team blocks to 15.0 for UCSB.

Northridge held an early 9-6 lead in the first set only to watch as the Gauchos took back the lead at 10-9 after a Lauren McLaughlin kill. The Matadors answered by taking four of the next five points to open up a 13-11 lead after Kepler and Hupp teamed up to block Dana Vargas. With the score tied 15-15, UCSB scored six consecutive points to open up a 21-15 lead highlighted by three straight Gaucho blocks. UCSB appeared to have the set in hand at 23-19 but a 3-0 Matador run cut the lead to 23-22 before Northridge held off a pair of set points at 24-23 and 25-24. A Kepler kill evened the set at 25-25 and after Rebecca Saraceno hit long, an Amy Hultner ace gave the Matadors set one 27-25.

The Gauchos took control of the second set from the start. A pair of Lily Lopez aces gave UCSB an early 5-0 lead and the Gauchos never looked back. Northridge got within four at 11-7 after a Grayson kill but could never cut further into the Gauchos lead. A Charlene DeHoog kill at 24-16 evened the match at one set apiece.

With the score tied at 4-4 in set three, the Gauchos used a 6-2 run to open up a 10-6 lead forcing a Matador timeout. Out of the timeout, Northridge answered by winning six of the next seven points to wrestle back the lead 12-11 on a Kasey Kipp hitting error. The Matadors then led by as many as two on three occasions, the last at 17-15 before the two teams traded the lead until 21-21. Kipp and Whittany Radcliffe then teamed up to block Grayson giving the Gauchos a 22-21 lead they would never surrender. Northridge managed to tie the score at 24, 25 and 26 before a Kelley Hanson service error and a McLaughlin kill sent UCSB to the 28-26 victory.

The Gauchos led for the first 17 points in the fourth set before a Grayson block followed by a Hupp kill put the Matadors in front 10-9. UCSB was able to even the score three times, the last at 12-12 before a 5-2 Northridge run gave the Matadors a 17-14 cushion. After a Gaucho timeout, Williams and Morales posted a co-block on Rebecca Saraceno and the Matadors had their largest lead of the set 18-14. Northridge also led 20-16 before a 4-1 Gaucho run cut the lead to 21-20 forcing a Matador timeout. After UCSB again cut the lead to one at 23-2, a Morales kill followed by a Saraceno attack error forced a fifth and deciding set.

The two teams traded the lead early in set five before a mini 3-0 Northridge run at 6-6 gave the Matadors a 9-6 cushion. A DeHoog kill and a Vargas ace cut the lead to 9-8 but a Kepler kill put the Matadors back up 10-8. A Grayson service error and a McLaughlin kill evened the set at 10-10 before Kepler answered again giving the Matadors their final lead at 11-10. A Lopez kill and a Chelsea Pavlik ace gave UCSB a 12-11 lead before Morales' kill pulled Northridge even at 12-12. But Williams was blocked by Kipp and Saraceno on the ensuing point and back-to-back McLaughlin kills ended the match.

McLaughlin wound up leading the Gauchos with a match-high 20 kills (.258) while DeHoog added 12 (.114) and Kipp chipped in 10 (.174). Libero Leigh Stephenson matched Northridge's Hanson for the match-high in digs with 22.

Cal State Northridge continues its three-match homestand on Saturday as the Matadors host No. 25 Cal Poly at 7 p.m.

- GO MAATDORS -