CHICO, Calif. - The 11th-ranked UC San Diego women's volleyball team defeated a determined Chico State team 17-30, 30-21, 30-26, 30-22 on Friday night in Acker gym. With the win the Tritons improve to 11-2, 3-1 CCAA while the Wildcats drop to 7-5, 2-2 CCAA. While the Tritons now lead the all-time series 15-0, UCSD definitely had one of its more difficult matches against the Wildcats. Nicole Courtney led the Tritons with 20 kills and added 13 digs. Brianna Koche added 12 kills while Laura Watkins led all players with 22 digs. Kristin Halvorsen led UCSD with 35 assists.
Chico State scored seven of the first ten points of game one and extended the lead to 17-8 on a 6-0 run. UCSD could get no closer than six points in the game as the Wildcats took it easily 30-17. CSUC hit .229 while the Tritons managed only .054.
The Tritons extended a lead to begin game two at 9-3 after a Kristin Halvorsen and Rebecca Bailey block assist, a Laura Watkins ace and a Nicole Courtney kill, forcing CSUC to call timeout. The Tritons added two more points on kills by Carpenter and Bailey for an 11-3 lead and a 6-0 run. Late in the game, UCSD took a 25-14 lead after Courtney spiked a freeball. Chico State did not go quietly, climbing back to within 26-20 after an ace. The Tritons wrapped up game two 30-21 after a Brianna Koche kill and a CSUC attack error. UCSD put it together to outhit CSUC .300-.263.
In game three, the Tritons raced out to a 7-1 lead. Chico State rallied right back to cut the Triton lead down to 10-8 and tying it up at 15-15. After the tie, CSUC scored four more points on a kill, block assist and two UCSD errors to go up 19-15. The Tritons then went on a run of their own scoring five straight, capped by a Courtney and Halvorsen block assist to lead 20-19. UCSD opened up a small lead at 24-21 before a CSUC block and ace brought them right back into the game at 24-23. With the score tied at 25-25, the Tritons ran off four straight points, capped by back-to-back Koche kills to force game point. The Tritons then set Koche who slammed home her third consecutive kill to give UCSD the win 30-26 and the 2-1 lead in the match.
In game four, the Tritons opened up the first lead of more than two points at 9-6 on back-to-back aces by Bailey. With the Tritons up 13-7, CSUC came right back by scoring five of the next six points to cut the Triton lead to 14-12. With the score tied at 16-16, CSUC served an error and Courtney put down a kill to put the Tritons back on top 18-16. After the Wildcats scored the next point, UCSD rallied off five straight points off Michelle Torres' serves to go up 23-17. Leading 23-19, Courtney tallied two consecutive kills to put the Tritons up by seven at 26-19. Chico State would get no closer than five points as the Tritons put it away on a Bailey kill and a Wildcat attack error 30-22.
UCSD is back in action on Saturday, September 24 for a CCAA match at Cal State Stanislaus. First serve is set for 3:00 pm in Turlock, Calif.
