LA JOLLA, Calif. ? The 15th-ranked UC San Diego women's volleyball team improved to 8-0 all-time against Humboldt State, defeating the Lumberjacks 25-17, 25-21, 21-25, 25-21 on Saturday night in RIMAC Arena. With the win, UCSD improves to 14-3, 8-2 California Collegiate Athletic Association, while Humboldt State drops to 6-11, 4-6 CCAA. This is UCSD's best start to a conference season since it began 7-2 in 2006, the year the Tritons won the NCAA Pacific Region and advanced to the National Quarterfinal game. UCSD was paced by Sylvia Schmidt with 13 kills and five digs, while Rebecca Bailey and Hillary Williamson had eight kills apiece.
The Tritons wrapped up the first-half of the conference season in second-place, trailing only Cal State San Bernardino, a team they beat in September. The win over Humboldt State was UCSD's eighth in as many tries against HSU. “Every team in our conference is tough,” said head coach Tom Black. “Humboldt State played a good game tonight and put a lot of pressure on us.”
Elaine Chen recorded 36 assists, 14 digs and five kills in seven attempts, including the match-ending kill in the fourth set. Michelle Torres had 11 digs and three of UCSD's nine aces on the night.
HSU was led by Lynsey Adams with 12 kills and 10 digs. HSU outblocked the Tritons 14.5-2.0.
After committing just eight total errors last night against Sonoma State, the Tritons committed eight errors in each of the first two sets against the ?Jacks.
The Tritons scored the first five points of the first set and took a 14-7 lead on a Cara Simonsen kill. UCSD would lead by at least four points the rest of the way and took the set on a Williamson kill at 25-17.
UCSD fell behind 15-11 in set two, and tied the set at 16-16 on a Kimberly Carpenter kill. UCSD took its first lead at 19-18 after an HSU attack error. Tied at 19-19, the Tritons scored four consecutive points, including kills by Kaitlin Potter and Katie Condon to put the set out of reach. Carpenter sent down the final kill at 25-21.
HSU never trailed in the third set. The ?Jacks were up 19-15, only to have the Tritons rally back to tie it at 20-20 after a block by Schmidt and Carpenter. With HSU leading 22-21, an HSU kill, followed by two UCSD attack errors forced the fourth set as HSU took it 25-21.
The fourth set was the closest of the night and had nine ties and five lead changes. With the Tritons trailing 20-19, UCSD scored five straight points with the help of two Simonsen kills and three HSU errors. Leading 24-21, Chen placed a touch-kill just over the net to end the match at 25-21.
UCSD is back in action next week when it travels to Cal State Dominguez Hills on October 16 in Carson.
