IRVINE, Calif. - The University of California San Diego twice overturned a set deficit to outlast Concordia Irvine, 3-2, in non-conference men's volleyball action at CU Arena on Saturday night. Set scores were 19-25, 25-13, 21-25, 25-21 and 15-11.
UC San Diego's first win of the 2017 campaign moves it to 1-5 overall. The Tritons had rallied from 2-0 down to force a decisive fifth just 24 hours prior, even earning a match point before succumbing to No. 6 UC Irvine in La Jolla. Concordia, a fellow NCAA Division II program which in fact was ranked No. 3 in this week's installment of the Off the Block Division II National Coaches Poll, falls to an even 6-6. It was just the fourth all-time meeting between the sides, with the series now even at 2-2, and third in Irvine. The Tritons won there in straight sets a season ago on March 10, before dropping 11 consecutive contests since.
In the fifth, Concordia tallied four of the first five points around a Tanner Syftestad kill, including a couple of big blocks. Also surrendering the first score coming out of a timeout, the Tritons caught up at 6-6, and on a Syftestad kill, grabbed the 8-7 edge at the side change. An Eagle hitting error meant a timeout for the hosts at 9-7.
UCSD was able to close it out from there on another Syftestad kill, his sixth of the frame, on match point. For the junior opposite and tri-captain, it was a match-best 22 kills after collecting a career-high 23 to lead all players against UCI on Friday.
"I was real proud of the effort tonight," said UCSD head coach Kevin Ring. "It was a total team victory. You had a lot of contribution from our starters to begin with, and our guys coming in off the bench. I was really impressed with how we played in the fifth set. We got down early, and in (that set), it often takes two scoring runs to go win it. Concordia got the first one to go up 5-1. It was key for us to get the next one. (We had) our first to tie it at 6-6, and hit the side switch at 8-7. Then we made the next scoring run, and raced to the finish line.
"Tanner Syftestad had a heck of a match again for us, with six kills in the fifth set alone. I thought (junior setter) Milosh (Stojcic) did a tremendous job running the offense. He involved the middles (blockers), found some matchups we like, and played big in the big moments."
The opening set was tight early until the Eagles manufactured the first three-point advantage at 12-9. Down 15-11, the Tritons called the night's initial timeout. They then closed back to within one at 16-15, but had to take their second timeout when the home side grew its lead back to 21-17. CUI held on from there.
A big combination block gave UCSD a 4-1 lead at the outset of game two, with a Xander Jimenez service ace making it 6-1 and forcing Concordia's first timeout of the evening. The bulge grew to 10-2 on a net ace by Drew Sloane. The Tritons kept the Eagles at a safe distance the rest of the way, finally reaching a double-digit advantage at 20-10 on a crosscourt kill by Syftestad. Ryan Blaich and Alec Flowers teamed up for a block and 23-11, with the match even moments later.
Back-to-back Triton points cut an 8-4 deficit in half in the third set. CUI stayed ahead, however, and a big kill, followed by a block, necessitated UCSD's first timeout, trailing 18-13. A huge stuff block by Sloane and Syftestad pulled the Tritons to within just a pair at 20-18 as the Eagles called for time. That was as close as they could come, though, as the hosts saw out the frame to reclaim a 2-1 set advantage.
Flowers' powerful spike down the middle made it a 7-4 scoreline in favor of the visitors in the fourth frame. Buoyed by two rousing blocks, the Eagles trimmed their margin down to a single point at 10-9 as Ring called his first timeout of the game. Flowers then partnered with Syftestad on a block for a 14-11 lead, and at 15-11, it was Concordia asking for a breather. Another block put the Tritons firmly in command at 22-16.
The sides combined for 29.5 total team blocks, 15.5 of them by UCSD. Four Tritons turned in career-best nights at the net in Flowers (eight total blocks), Sloane (five), Jimenez (four) and Milosh Stojcic (four). The block party included UCSD's first triple blocks of the season, with one in each of the first three games. Those came courtesy of Stojcic, Devin Pontigon (Oceanside/El Camino HS) and Bryan Zhu (San Diego/Rancho Bernardo HS), then Sloane, Syftestad and Ian Colbert, and finally, Flowers, Jimenez and Stojcic.
Stojcic wound up with 42 assists, eclipsing the 40 mark for the second time this weekend after 43 on Friday. Those went along with six digs. Colbert got to a team-high 10 digs in a reserve role, narrowly missing his fifth career double-double with nine kills. Flowers came close to a tougher double-double, contributing eight kills to go with his eight blocks. Freshman libero Ryan Lew had nine digs and three assists.
Jonathon Predney (15), Ryan Anselmo (13) and Hunter Howell (11) reached double figures in kills for Concordia. Predney also provided a match-high 11 digs for a double-double. Chandler Gibb dished out 46 assists. Alec Krills totaled 10 blocks.
UCSD did not allow the Eagles a single ace. The teams together missed 42 serves.
"I'm real proud of the team," concluded Ring. "(We played) back to back five-setters. I told them at the beginning, be confident in our play, but then with confidence comes responsibility, and our responsibility is to go out and back it up (after Friday's performance against UC Irvine). If we're confident about what we can do from the service line, or blocking, or with our offense, go out on the court, back it up, and make plays. We did that tonight. It was a great win for UCSD Men's Volleyball."
UC San Diego has just one match in the week ahead, remaining in non-conference play to welcome in Hope International University of Fullerton on Saturday, Jan. 28. First serve inside RIMAC Arena is set for 7 p.m.
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