LA JOLLA, Calif. - UC San Diego hit a season-high .432 (40-8-74) and swept away visiting Holy Names University, 3-0, in non-conference men's volleyball action Saturday evening at RIMAC Arena. Set scores were 25-15, 25-14 and 25-16.
In snapping an eight-match losing streak, UCSD improved to 4-13 overall. The Tritons had last produced a 3-2 home victory over Princeton back on Jan. 27. They had dropped 13 consecutive sets prior to the opening frame Saturday. The result also meant the completion for the Tritons of a sweep of the home-and-home season series with the Hawks, having won another 3-0 affair in the teams' first meeting in Oakland back on Jan. 23. HNU remained winless at 0-12.
Senior outside hitter Kirill Rudenko put together a career-high hitting rate of .750, leading on players with nine kills without committing a single error over 12 swings. The native of Russia also matched his season high with five digs, alongside a pair of assists and a service ace.
Eleven of the 16 Tritons to see action against the Hawks registered at least one kill, with only six of them committing a hitting error. Freshman Ryan Blaich (16 assists) and sophomore starter Milosh Stojcic (14) split the setting duties. Blaich also served a season-best two of UCSD's season-high nine aces, to none by the visitors. Stojcic had a team-high nine digs and one ace.
A 5-0 UCSD run on a service error followed by four straight attacking miscues, during which the Tritons took their first lead of the first set at 7-6, gave the home side a 10-6 advantage as HNU called the contest's first timeout. The Hawks tallied the first point out of the break, but could get no closer than that.
The Tritons got the first two of the second frame and led the entire way. An incredible sequence of seven successive points, punctuated by an ace by Stojcic, ended any suspense in that one.
UCSD broke a sixth and final tie score in the third at 6-6, with five consecutive points. HNU called for time, but the Tritons notched five of the next six for a 16-7 bulge. Sophomore Ryan Schickling entered the fray late in the third set, and collected a career-high four kills over UCSD's final six points. They were the first four kills of 2016 for the Laguna Niguel product, coming on his first four swings of the year. Redshirt freshman Bryan Zhu served six points in the third, with two aces.
Sophomore Luke La Mont and redshirt freshman Drew Sloane each provided four kills on .500 hitting and two blocks off the bench. Austin Pak, a true freshman, made his collegiate debut and registered his first dig.
UCSD's previous high this year for attack percentage was .418 (38-10-67) in the season-opening home triumph over Charleston.
UCSD remains at home and has just one match in the week ahead, welcoming in fourth-ranked Stanford on Thursday night, Feb. 25. First serve inside RIMAC Arena is set for 7 p.m.
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