SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. ? The 20th-ranked UC San Diego women's volleyball team rallied to pull off the comeback win, defeating 2nd-ranked Cal State San Bernardino 23-30, 13-30, 30-25, 30-27, 15-12 on Saturday night on the CSUSB campus. The loss was CSUSB's first conference loss and first to an NCAA DII opponent. After losing the first two games by more than seven points, UCSD got into its game and rallied to win the final three games. Sylvia Schmidt came through with four kills and a block in the fifth game, including the match winner. For the night, Schmidt tallied 16 kills, five blocks and four aces, while hitting at a .387 clip. Rebecca Bailey led UCSD with 19 kills and a .304 hitting clip. With the win, UCSD improves to 16-7, 10-5 CCAA, while the Coyotes drop to 21-2, 13-1 CCAA.
It ended up being the second consecutive night for the Tritons in going five games. This time UCSD held on to its game five lead, defeating the first-place Coyotes.
UCSD opened the first game calling Sylvia Schmidt's number as the sophomore recorded the first two kills for the Tritons. CSUSB opened up a five point lead at 12-7, forcing the Tritons to call timeout. After the timeout, UCSD came out firing with a Casey Wilson kill and a block assist by Kim Adams and Schmidt to cut the deficit to 12-9. With the Tritons trailing 14-11, CSUSB went on a 8-2 run to lead by nine points at 22-13. Trailing 27-17, UCSD put together a rally, scoring six straight points to come within 27-23 after back-to-back Schmidt aces. A few late errors by the Tritons ended the game in favor of CSUSB at 30-23.
UCSD ended up hurting themselves with 13 attack errors in the second game. CSUSB scored 11 of the first 14 points to take a commanding 11-3 lead. UCSD chipped away and made it a game after kills by Wilson and Schmidt cut the deficit down to 15-11. From that point it was all Coyotes as CSUSB scored nine straight points and 15 of the game's final 17 points to cruise to the 30-13 win.
CSUSB took a 10-5 lead in game three, before three aces by Natalie Facchini pulled UCSD into a tie at 10-10. The Tritons would take their first two-point lead of the match at 17-15 after a Kimberly Carpenter kill. That lead would stretch to 21-16 after a kill by Amber Ries. With the Tritons leading 23-20, CSUSB appeared to have a kill, but a rotation error ended up in a two-point swing and put UCSD on top 24-20. The Tritons kept the pressure on with Michelle Torres serving and UCSD opened up a 27-20 edge. CSUSB would rally to pull within 27-25 before a Schmidt kill ended the five point CSUSB run. Carpenter served up an ace to give UCSD game point and Schmidt put down the final kill to give UCSD a 30-25 win.
In the fourth game, CSUSB took command with a 10-4 lead. The Coyotes would remain ahead by at least five points until a five point run by the Tritons pulled UCSD within 20-17. In that run, Schmidt recorded two kills and Carpenter added a kill and an ace. After the CSUSB timeout, the teams would exchange sideouts until Schmidt put down a kill and served up an ace to pull UCSD within 21-19. The Coyotes came up with back-to-back aces to retake a five point edge at 25-20. After a CSUSB error, a Ries and Kaitlin Potter block and Karen Reis ace pulled UCSD within 25-24. CSUSB would later commit back-to-back errors and Schmidt hammered an kill to give the Tritons their first lead of the game at 28-27 and CSUSB called its final timeout. UCSD came up with a big triple block by Kimberly Adams, Schmidt and Carpenter to force game point. After a strong UCSD serve, CSUSB free balled the ball over and the Tritons called Schmidt's number and she delivered the game ending blow at 30-27 UCSD.
CSUSB opened the fifth game by scoring four of the first five points and forcing UCSD into an early timeout. Out of the timeout, Schmidt recorded back-to-back kills to bring UCSD within 4-3. Schmidt then came through with her third kill of the fifth game, followed by an ace to tie the game at 5-5. Bailey gave the Tritons their first lead of the final game with a cross court kill at 6-5 and CSUSB called timeout. After the teams exchanged sideouts, a Bailey kill gave UCSD an 8-6 lead as the teams changed sides. UCSD took its first three point lead at 12-9 on an ace by Torres. After a CSUSB kill, the Coyotes committed a service error, putting the Tritons ahead 13-10. Out of the CSUSB timeout, Schmidt and Adams combined for the block to give UCSD game point at 14-10. CSUSB came back with back-to-back kills to come within 14-12. After a Triton timeout, UCSD went to Schmidt again and this time a kill resulted, giving UCSD the match at 15-12.
UCSD is back in action with one match next week at Humboldt State. First serve is set for 7:00 p.m. on Friday, November 2.
