LA JOLLA, Calif. - Staring deficits of 2-0 in sets and 17-11 in the third frame, UC San Diego did not back down and in fact came all the way back to force a decider, but was finally edged by No. 14 UC Irvine in an entertaining Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) men's volleyball match Saturday night at RIMAC Arena. Set scores were 25-18, 25-17, 31-33, 21-25 and 15-13.
With the result, UCSD is now 4-17 overall and 0-16 in the MPSF. UC Irvine moved to 6-12 overall and 5-11 in league play. The Anteaters had posted a straight-set victory over the Tritons at home inside the Bren Events Center on Friday night.
Junior outside hitter Ian Colbert posted his fourth double-double with 10 kills and 10 digs, while freshman setter Ryan Blaich put together the first of his college career with 49 assists and a season-best 10 digs of his own. Tanner Syftestad was in double-figure kills for a third-straight match, equaling his career best with 18. The sophomore opposite added a season-high five blocks. Kirill Rudenko provided a spark off the bench with 12 kills, three blocks and three digs after missing the previous two contests. UCSD's other senior, Tanner Howard, provided eight digs from his libero position. Bryan Zhu finished with seven kills on .357 hitting (7-2-14), alongside a season- and match-high six total blocks. Fellow redshirt sophomore Calvin Manchenko had six kills, with Shayne Beamer getting his hands to five blocks.
Kyle Russell contributed 22 kills to lead all players for UCI. David Parker and Jason Agopian added 17 and 14 kills, respectively. Dante Chakravorti dished out 57 assists. Tucker Pikula and libero Dillon Hoffman turned in 11 digs apiece.
Down 17-11 in the third and seemingly headed toward a sweep just eight points away, UCSD called its final timeout of the frame, and promptly came out of the break with the next five points. After five more tie scores, out of 16 for the game, a UCI attack error and Zhu ace gave the Tritons the first set point at 24-22. After the 'Eaters saved six set points, they achieved their first at 29-28 after two Russell kills. An awry attack by Russell, however, leveled it at 29-29. This time it was UCSD that turned away two more set points, before a Colbert kill and Syftestad ace ultimately gave the home side the win.
The momentum firmly shifted from then on, as UCSD cruised to a 16-9 advantage in the fourth through separate runs of 4-0 and 6-0. The Tritons almost returned the favor from the third, allowing eight of the next nine for a 17-17 deadlock. They rallied for four of the next five, however, and went on to force a set five.
UCI tallied the first three in that decider, and forced a timeout at 5-1. With the 'Eaters up 10-7 after a Michael Saeta ace, the Tritons called for time again. Kills by Colbert and Rudenko pulled UCSD to within one at 11-10 and 13-12. Parker made it 14-12 with a kill, but Rudenko and Zhu teamed up for a huge stuff block to keep Triton hopes alive. Agopian handled the overpass, though, on a second match point.
The Tritons are now 1-2 in five-set affairs in 2016. The 33-31 third set marked their longest set of the year, score-wise.
UCSD junior Josh Schmidt appeared at libero for the first time in the third set.
UCSD has a one-match week ahead, out of conference, as it heads back to Irvine for the second time in a week to take on Concordia Thursday night, March 10, at 7 p.m.
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