BOISE, Idaho — UC San Diego women's volleyball fell to Oregon State in straight sets, 11-25, 17-25, 22-25, on Friday afternoon in Bronco Gym. The Tritons (1-4) dropped their second match of the Boise State Classic to the Beavers (1-3) in the first ever meeting between the programs.
 
Oregon State's efficient attack was highlighted by a .333 hitting percentage, while UC San Diego struggled to find rhythm with a .185 mark.
 
Molly McCluskey led UC San Diego with a strong offensive performance, recording 15 kills on 23 attempts for a .565 hitting percentage and contributing 15.5 points. Jasmine Saran added 5 kills and 3 blocks, while Maija Nepszy facilitated the offense by distributing 19 assists while also collecting 6 digs. Paulina Baillie led the team with seven digs and added four assists.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The opening set saw the teams keep the score close early on, battling to an 11-10 OSU advantage. However, the Beavers pulled away with a decisive mid-set run, scoring 11 consecutive points, highlighted by three service aces to lead 22-10. A kill by Ireland McNees stopped the run, but OSU responded to score the final three points and take the opening set, 25-11.
 
The second set started with the Tritons pushing to level the score at 4-4, highlighted by a block from Stefania Alupei and Saran, followed by a solo stop by Madison Johnson. The Beavers responded with a decisive 5-0 run to build their lead, 9-4. The Tritons managed to reduce the gap to 11-14 with contributions from McCluskey, who secured three kills, and McNees, who also added two crucial kills. However, OSU capitalized on late errors to close the set at 25-17.
 
The teams traded points to begin the third set, battling to a 12-11 Triton advantage. The Tritons maintained a competitive edge, with Alupei and Saran making significant contributions with timely kills, keeping the score tight at several intervals. Oregon State was finally able to create distance with a five-point scoring run to lead, 16-12. Despite a late surge by the Tritons, with Afonso and McCluskey closing the gap to 24-22, the Beavers managed to secure the set, 25-22, to secure the sweep.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Oregon State held the advantage in hitting percentage (.333 to .185), aces (7-0), blocks (8-5) and digs (36-29).
• UC San Diego is 1-2 in three-set matches this season.
• It was the first meeting between the two programs.
• Stefania Alupei made her first collegiate start in the contest.
• Starters included Stefania Alupei, Paulina Baillie, Madison Johnson, Molly McCluskey, Ireland McNees, Maija Nepszy and Jasmine Saran.

UP NEXT
The Tritons will remain in Idaho for the final match of the Boise State Classic, taking on (RV) Arizona on Saturday at 9 a.m. PT. The match will be streamed on the Mountain West Network and live statistics will be available on UCSDTritons.com.
 
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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 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.