LA JOLLA, California — The 10th-ranked UC San Diego men's volleyball team opened its 2022 season Friday night with a 3-1 win over non-conference opponent Harvard.

Scores from RIMAC Arena were 16-25, 25-16, 25-20, and 25-23. Harvard dropped to 0-2 with the loss.

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HOW IT HAPPENED
UC San Diego had three players rack up a double-digit kill total including outside hitter Kyle McCauley (match-high 17), middle blocker Logan Clark (11), and outside hitter Ryan Ka (11). Clark added six blocks while Ka picked up a double-double with a team-best 11 digs. He also had four blocks and two service aces.

Middle Shane Benetz and opposite Charlie Siragusa each contributed five kills. Benetz also contributed four blocks and Siragusa finished with seven digs, three blocks, and an ace.

Setter Blake Crisp assisted on 44 of the Tritons' 49 kills.

UC San Diego hit .215 (49-23-121) to Harvard's .138 (39-24-109). The Tritons went from hitting -.071 in the opening set to .310 in set two and .406 in the set three.

UC San Diego out-blocked the Crimson 12-8.

Harvard, which was swept at No. 15 UC Irvine Wednesday, was led by Kade McGovern and Campbell Schoenfeld, who had 11 kills apiece. Jason Shen posted a match-high 12 digs.

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HIGHLIGHT REEL



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KEVIN RING INTERVIEW



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TRITON TIDBITS
• Two Tritons made their collegiate debut - redshirt freshman libero Paya Vatanshenas and true freshman opposite/outside hitter Ben Blakely.
• UC San Diego is now 2-0 all-time against Harvard.
• The Tritons are starting their season with a three-match home stand with contests against Harvard, Stanford, and Grand Canyon.

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UP NEXT
UC San Diego hosts 12th-ranked Stanford on Saturday, Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. The Cardinal come in with a 3-1 record after losing in four sets at No. 15 UC Irvine Friday.

Spectators are not allowed to attend on-campus events through Jan. 31.

Saturday's match will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and can be followed with live stats.

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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.