LA JOLLA, Calif. – No. 11 UC San Diego hosted No. 1 UCLA in LionTree Arena on Friday, Jan. 23rd, in a hard-fought battle, but the match resulted in a 3-0 loss.
The Tritons performed strongly through three sets. Set scores were 25-21, 25-21, 28-26, in favor of the Bruins. On the season, UC San Diego moves to 3-3. UCLA remains undefeated, 6-0.
Sebastiano Sani and
Luke Chandler had double-digit kills (11 each).
Josh Ewert had the Tritons' next best (7).
Cameron Wurl had 31 assists.
HOW IT HAPPENED
UC San Diego and UCLA had nine tie scores and two lead changes in the first set, with the Tritons holding the Bruins to a 21-25 win. The Tritons had eight kills in the first and two aces to start. Sani earned both aces early, and the Tritons went up 6-3, staying in the lead until an attack error put the Bruins up 18-17. UCLA held the lead until the end of the set.
In the second set, the Tritons improved to 13 kills and hit .290 but dropped the set 21-25. The Tritons forced two lead changes early in the set at 4-3 and 6-5, but the Bruins charged ahead, solidifying their lead with a 4-0 scoring run in the middle of the set. The Tritons tried to come back with two 3-0 runs that brought them within two points near the end of the second, but the Bruins eventually took the set.
Starting off the third, UC San Deigo had another 13 kills. The set featured 12 tie scores and three lead changes. UCLA took the lead at 6-5, remaining there until the Tritons clawed their way back to a tie score at 17-17. The Tritons then took the lead at 19-18, with two tie scores between that and set point as the hosts were up 24-22. The Bruins survived and forced the third past 25. UC San Diego had four total set points, going back and forth with the Bruins until UCLA pulled away, 28-26, taking the match 3-0.
TRITON TIDBITS
- Chandler set a new career high in kills with 11 while also hitting .308.
- Chandler made his first start of the season, replacing Leo Pravednikov, who missed his first match of the year.
- This is the Tritons' second match extending a set past 25, against BYU on Jan. 17 they lost set four 33-35.
QUOTABLE
"We enjoyed playing in front of this crowd tonight," Chandler said. "I thought we passed really well. I thought we made a lot of really good block touches, we just couldn't capitalize on all of them. Moving forward, we have the Chicago trip, and I think tonight was a really valuable experience."
UP NEXT
UC San Diego will travel to Romeoville, Illinois, to take on Lewis on Friday, Jan 30th in Neil Carey Arena. The match is set to begin at 5 p.m. PST. They will stay on the road in Chicago to face Loyola Chicago on Saturday, Jan. 31st in Gentile Arena. That match is set to begin at 5 p.m. PST.
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 has begun a new era as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 24-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 39 have garnered 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 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in NCAA Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.
