Oct. 3, 2008

Final Stats

IRVINE, Calif. - Siara Grayson had a team-high 10 kills but Cal State Northridge dropped its eighth consecutive match, 25-18, 25-13, 21-25, 25-12 at UC Irvine in a Big West Conference contest Friday at Crawford Court.

The Matadors, who will look to snap their skid Saturday at UC Riverside, drop to 5-11 overall and remain winless in the Big West at 0-3. Northridge had never started a Big West season with three straight losses. UC Irvine improved to 7-8 (2-0) with the win.

Grayson hit .222 in 27 swings and junior Angela Hupp added seven kills while hitting .250 but the rest of the Matador hitters get not get on track. Senior Val Kepler added five kills but hit .056 and sophomore Brittany Williams had four kills and six errors in 26 attacks (-.077). Setter Sam Orlandini had 14 assists before giving way to senior Kayla Wright who posted nine assists and a pair of kills. Amy Hultner recorded a match-high 13 digs while Hupp added 11.

The Anteaters took control early in the first set, going on a four-point run to build an 8-2 lead on a kill from Kellerman. UCI then rattled off six straight points as Cal State Northridge committed three consecutive attack errors to lead 15-6 and would go on to record the 25-18 win with a cross-court slam from Kellerman.

It was all UCI again the second set as the team out-scored Northridge 8-1 to build a 14-8 advantage. At 19-11, Kepler put away consecutive kills but that would be all for the Matadors as UC Irvine scored six straight to end the set.

Cal State Northridge jumped out to the early lead in the third frame, going on a 7-1 run to lead 13-4 on a service ace by Wright. The Matadors would hold off the Anteaters, leading by as many as 10 points (17-10). However trailing 23-15, UC Irvine mounted a rally and out-scoring Northridge 7-1 to whittle the lead to three at 24-21 and force a Matador timeout. Out of the huddle, Robertson found Larissa Nordyke but Kepler and Puneet Pataria denied the outside hitter at the net for the win.

An early six-point run in the final set gave UCI an 11-4 lead with Kellerman and Cropper pairing up to deny Kepler on consecutive plays to cap the rally. UCI recorded six straight to extend a six-point lead to 13 at 22-9 with Robertson finding Pestolesi on back-to-back plays and it would be Kellerman again to deliver the final kill for the win.

Kellerman and Kari Pestolesi had 16 kills apiece to lead the Anteaters with Kellerman hitting a solid .400 in 35 attempts. Pestolesi added 13 digs and a pair of service aces while Riley Cropper registered a career-high seven block assists.

Cal State Northridge continues its three-match road trip Saturday at UC Riverside. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.

- GO MATADORS -