LA JOLLA, Calif.—UC San Diego women's volleyball dropped a 3-0 decision to Long Beach State on Thursday evening in LionTree Arena.
The Tritons (7-7, 1-2 Big West) fell to the Beach (9-4, 3-0 Big West) in straight sets, 25-20, 25-21 and 25-22 in their Big West home opener.
Ava McInnes led the Tritons with eight kills, while
Emily McDaniel added seven.
Lauren Brooker recorded her second double-double of the season with 23 assists and a team-high 10 digs.
McInnes was second on the team with nine digs, while
Kayla Uhlick and
Sabire Karacaova added eight and seven respectively. McDaniel paced the Tritons defensively at the net with seven total blocks, including four solo stops.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The teams remained close early in set one before the Beach used a six-point run to create distance, 10-4. A kill from McDaniel and a solo block by
Kylie Pries pulled the Tritons within three, 14-11. LBSU answered to with a three-point run of its own and maintained a comfortable lead down the stretch to take the opening frame, 25-20.
The Beach carried the momentum into the second set, leading 6-2 early. An LBSU attack error and a solo block by McDaniel pulled UC San Diego even with the Beach at 10-10. The teams traded points before Long Beach State went on a 6-1 scoring run to jump back in front, 19-14. The Tritons scored four unanswered to pull within one point and force an LBSU timeout at 22-21. The Beach scored the final three points, however, and took the second set, 25-21.
The Tritons came out with renewed energy in the third set and took an early, 7-4, lead. The teams pulled even at 10-all before UC San Diego jumped back in front, 13-10, behind tough serving from Karacaova. The Beach used a 11-2 scoring run to retake the lead, 22-16. The Tritons did not quit down the stretch, however, using a four-point scoring run to make it 22-20. UC San Diego fought off two match points before the Beach ultimately took the set, 25-22, and the match, 3-0.
TRITON TIDBITS
UP NEXT
UC San Diego will remain in La Jolla to play host to Hawai'i on Friday at 6 p.m. The match will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live statistics will be available via UCSDTritons.com.
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 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.
