LA JOLLA, Calif. - Kyle McCauley put down a match high 20 kills and the University of California San Diego men's volleyball team hit .342 in a five set victory over 11th-ranked Loyola to open its season Thursday night at RIMAC Arena. Scores of the thriller were 25-9, 20-25, 25-16, 23-25, and 16-14. 

UC San Diego boasted a potent offense, finishing the night with a .342 (58-19-114) hitting percentage, its best since recording the same number against USC in March of 2018. The Tritons hit a torrid .765 in the first set, collecting 13 kills with no errors in 17 attack attempts. They were also outstanding in the deciding frame, swinging at .462 (8-2-13).

On the defensive side of the ball, UC San Diego out-blocked its opponent 13-9 as six Tritons had multiple stuffs. 

A junior outside hitter, McCauley was playing in his first career match for UC San Diego after transferring from Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa. He hit .361 (20-7-36) while adding six digs, two solo blocks, two service aces, and an assist to his stat line. McCauley's 24 points were the most by a Triton since Wyatt Harrison amassed 25.5 against Concordia Irvine in February of 2019.

Speaking of Harrison, the junior outside hitter figured mightily in tonight's win with 18 kills, a .382 (18-5-34) hitting percentage, seven digs, two aces, a block, and an assist.

Sophomore middle blocker Shane Benetz contributed 12 kills and five blocks, both career bests, while hitting a stellar .611 (12-1-18). Senior setter Connor Walbrecht quarterbacked the strong offense with 49 assists and also logged seven digs, four blocks, and three aces. Senior libero Ryan Lew led all players with eight digs.

Loyola (1-2) hit just .106 (40-28-113) in the match. Cole Schlothauer led the Ramblers with 15 kills while Luke Denton had six blocks and three aces.

UC San Diego faces another nationally ranked team Saturday as it welcomes No. 6 Lewis to RIMAC Arena. The Flyers (2-1) defeated eighth ranked UC Irvine Thursday night in Orange County. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN3.

About UC San Diego Athletics
With 30 national team championships, nearly 150 individual titles, and the top student-athlete graduation rate among Division II institutions in the United States, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program annually ranks as one of the most successful in the country. The Tritons sponsor 23 intercollegiate sport programs that compete on the NCAA Division I and II levels and, in the summer of 2020, will transition into full Division I status as a member of the Big West Conference. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's pre-eminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent. A total of 82 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 37 have earned prestigious NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarships. In competition, almost 1,400 UC San Diego scholar-athletes have earned All-America honors.

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For complete coverage and information regarding UC San Diego Athletics, follow the Tritons online at UCSDTritons.com and through social media on Twitter (@UCSDTritons), Instagram (@UCSDTritons) and Facebook (UCSDTritons). To stay tuned in to UC San Diego Men's Volleyball, follow the team's Instagram (@UCSDmvb) or visit the Tritons on Twitter (@UCSDmvb).