BOISE, Idaho — UC San Diego women's volleyball suffered a three-set loss to (RV) Arizona, 16-25, 16-25, 22-25, on Saturday morning in Bronco Gym. With the loss, the Tritons (1-5) wrapped up the Boise State Classic, moving to 0-2 in the all-time series with the Wildcats (6-0).
Molly McCluskey led the Tritons with 12 kills and added two blocks, posting a total of 15 points.
Maija Nepszy facilitated the offense with 17 assists while also recording one block assist.
Ireland McNees was a defensive presence with eight digs and contributed six kills on the offensive end.
Jasmine Saran delivered a strong serving performance with four aces, adding two blocks in the contest.
HOW IT HAPPENED
In the first set, the Wildcats started with a commanding 6-0 run that put the Tritons on the defensive. UC San Diego responded with a resilient effort, with McCluskey contributing multiple kills and a service ace by
Paulina Baillie narrowing the gap to 7-4. Despite a late push with kills from
Stefania Alupei and Saran, Arizona maintained their lead, closing the set 25-16 with consistent attacking plays from Sydnie Vanek and Carlie Cisneros.
Set two began with the Wildcats gaining an early 10-point lead, fueled by a series of consecutive points, including three kills by Heath and two service aces by Avery Scoggins. The Tritons responded with an effort to close the gap, marked by consecutive kills from McCluskey and Alupei, as well as two service aces by Saran, reducing the deficit to 17-7. However, Arizona maintained their momentum and secured the set 25-16, despite a late push that included McCluskey's four kills in the latter stages.
The final set saw a series of momentum shifts, highlighted by a significant rally from UC San Diego. After trailing early by five points, the Tritons went on a 7-0 scoring run, thanks to kills from Alupei and McCluskey, coupled with a service ace by Saran. UC San Diego briefly took control with a 14-12 lead, supported by another ace from Saran. Despite these efforts, the Wildcats edged out a narrow victory, clinching the set 25-22.
TRITON TIDBITS
UP NEXT
The Tritons will remain on the road for the third week of the season, traveling for the Lumberjack Classic in Flagstaff, Ariz. UC San Diego will begin the three-day event on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. PT against the host Northern Arizona. Streaming information and live statistics will be available via UCSDTritons.com.
Article partially generated with FanWord.
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.
