LA JOLLA, Calif. - The University of California San Diego women's volleyball team earned its 10th victory of the season Saturday, defeating league rival Cal Poly Pomona, 3-1, at RIMAC Arena.
UC San Diego, which snapped a three-match losing skid, improved to 10-8 overall and 7-3 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Cal Poly Pomona dropped to 4-13 and stayed winless in league action, now 0-8.
Jessyca Beksa and Meagan Wright (Bonita/Bonita Vista HS) each had 13 kills for the Tritons. Beksa added two service aces and three block assists to finish with a team-high 16.5 points. Wright completed a double-double as she had a team-best 19 digs.
Kayla Evans (San Diego/Del Norte HS) (47 assists, 16 digs) and Amanda Colla (Carlsbad/San Dieguito Academy) (10 kills, 14 digs) also recorded double-doubles for UCSD.
The Broncos were led by Alexandra Gresham, who totaled a match-high 19.5 points on 19 kills and a block assist. Deanna Blaine was just behind with 18.5 points, totaling 17 kills and three block assists. Amanda Jaramillo amassed a match-best 25 digs.
Cal Poly Pomona held advantages in hitting percentage (.195-.192) and digs (78-73). UC San Diego led in blocks (8-5) and serve percentage (.938-.912). The Tritons had six aces, while the Broncos had two and made eight errors from the line.
UCSD hit a meager .042 in the first set, getting 11 kills but committing nine errors in 48 attack attempts. Conversely, CPP hit .250 (16-5-44), its highest of the match. With the Broncos leading 10-8, the Tritons scored five straight points to take their first lead of the night. A kill by Rebecca Seaberry later had UCSD up by a score of 22-21, but it was the final lead they would own in the set. Tied at 23-23, UC San Diego had two attack errors, allowing Cal Poly Pomona to take the opener.
The Tritons hit over .200 in each of the next three sets, coming in at .229 (12-4-35) in the second, .275 (15-4-40) in the third and .273 (13-4-33) in the fourth.
Down 7-3 in set two, UCSD scored 12 of the next 14 points to take a 15-9 lead and the Tritons stayed in front the rest of the way. The Broncos didn't make it easy, however, closing the gap to just a single point several times. At 24-21, Pomona saved two set points but a Beksa kill won it for the home team and tied the match at 1-1.
The third set had 12 tie scores and five lead changes. UC San Diego blasted to an 8-3 lead behind three kills each for Beksa and Wright. Cal Poly Pomona then won nine of the next 12 points and led 12-11. It stayed close all the way to 22-22 before UCSD scored three unanswered points to take the set and go up 2-1.
The Broncos scored the first two points of the fourth, but the Tritons won the next six and would not relinquish the lead. CPP turned aside four match points before a Seaberry kill brought the contest to a close.
Prior to the start of the match, banners were unveiled for this year's inductees into the UCSD Athletics Hall of Fame. The class of 2016 consists of J.J. Castner (men's cross country/track and field, 1992-96), Rick Nowak (baseball, 1986-88), Jennifer Watanabe (women's swimming and diving, 1999-03) and Pat Weishan (men's golf, 1983-87). The foursome will officially be inducted during a ceremony on Sunday, Oct. 16.
UC San Diego plays at Cal State Dominguez Hills (7-11, 4-6) on Tuesday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.
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