TUCSON, Ariz. - Closing out its first week of competition as an NCAA Division I team Saturday, the University of California San Diego was swept by the University of Arizona at the Cactus Classic women's volleyball tournament.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Arizona, the host of the tourney, won by scores of 25-17, 25-13, and 25-16 at the McKale Center. UC San Diego dropped to 0-3 while the Wildcats improved to 3-0.
The Tritons struggled offensively, hitting just .129 with 29 kills and 18 errors in 85 attack attempts. The Wildcats countered with an impressive .380 on 40 kills and only five errors in 92 swings. In the second set, UA hit .536, collecting 15 kills with no errors in 28 attack attempts.
Arizona was also strong from the service line, flooring 13 aces. UC San Diego held a 40-33 advantage in digs.
Sophomore middle blocker
Ava McInnes, who had 24 kills against Marist Friday, led the Tritons again today with seven kills. Freshman outside hitter
Zaria Henderson was just behind with six and freshman middle
Emily McDaniel finished with five. Senior
Susanna Limb and sophomore
Izzi Strand platooned at setter and ended with 10 and 14 assists, respectively. Junior libero
Naya Dong amassed a match-high 17 digs.
TRITON TIDBITS
• The 2020 season, which was supposed to be the Tritons' first at the Division I level, was canceled by the Big West Conference due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• It was the first-ever match between the Tritons and Wildcats.
• In Tucson on Friday, UC San Diego was defeated by New Mexico State and Marist in five set marathons.
• The contest against New Mexico State was the first time UC San Diego had played an official match since December of 2019.
• Ten players made their Triton debuts in Tucson including
Juliette Bokor,
Naya Dong,
Zaria Henderson,
Dani Mason,
Emily McDaniel,
Ava McInnes,
Jovana Papaz,
Natalie Repetti,
Odeya Russo, and
Izzi Strand.
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UP NEXT
UC San Diego continues tournament play when it travels to the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif., next week. On Sept. 3, the Tritons take on Cal and Pacific. The following day, they go up against Tarleton State.
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About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 84 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.
