LA JOLLA, Calif. - The 3rd-ranked UC San Diego women's volleyball team improved to 11-0 all-time against Cal State Monterey Bay with a 26-28, 25-10, 25-20, 26-24 win in front of 669 fans in RIMAC Arena on Friday night. After dropping the first set, the Tritons took the second and third sets and held off the Otters in the fourth to claim the win.
Sylvia Schmidt had a match-high 15 kills and added seven digs. Three other Tritons had at least 10 kills as
Elaine Chen ran the offense with 45 assists, nine digs and three kills. With the win, UCSD improves to 15-1, 7-1 California Collegiate Athletic Association, while the Otters drop to 6-9, 2-6 CCAA.
Julia Freidenberg notched a career-high 12 kills on .450 hitting. It marked the seventh time this season that Freidenberg has hit over .400.
Katie Condon came off the Triton bench to record 11 kills in the final three sets. Condon added two of UCSD's eight aces on the night.
Lauren Bradley added 10 kills on .333 hitting with three blocks. Bradley committed only one attack error in the match. In 14 matches this season, Bradley has committed one attack error or less 11 times.
Roxanne Brunsting added a match-high 11 digs along with two aces. Brunsting has recorded at least 10 digs in 15 of 16 matches this season.
In the first set, the Tritons and Otters went back and forth, tying 15 times with six lead changes. UCSD trailed 20-17 and called timeout. UCSD came back to tie it at 21-21 and would take a 24-22 lead on a Bradley and Audrey Green block. CSUMB would not go quietly, tying the set on a kill and service ace. Tied at 26-26, a UCSD service error and attack error gave the Otters the first set at 28-26.
The second set was all Tritons as UCSD hit at a .385 clip. Condon had a long service run to push the Tritons on top 11-5. The Tritons quickly opened up an 11 point lead after consecutive Freidenberg kills at 19-8. Brunsting finished off the set with a service run including two aces and two Bradley kills at 25-10 UCSD.
In the third set, a service run by Janessa Werhane put the Tritons on top 11-6. CSUMB would battle back within 18-15, but would get no closer than three points the rest of the way. Freidenberg sent down the final kill at 25-20.
The Tritons picked up where they left off, taking a 7-4 lead in the fourth. The Otters came back to tie it at 10-10 and took a 16-13 lead, forcing the Tritons to call timeout. Cara Simonsen served up an ace and led a scoring run as the Tritons took a 19-17 lead. Leading 22-19, CSUMB came back to tie the set at 23-23 and took a 24-23 lead after a UCSD error. With CSUMB serving to force a fifth set, Condon responded with a kill to tie it at 24-24. After a CSUMB attack error set up match point for the Tritons, Schmidt sent down the kill to end the match, 26-24.
UCSD is back in action tomorrow night when it hosts San Francisco State. First serve is set for 7:00 p.m. in RIMAC Arena.
