UC Irvine
Mustangs Open Big West Season with Sweep Over UCI
9/27/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – The Cal Poly volleyball team opened Big West Conference play with a three set sweep over the visiting Anteaters from UC Irvine on Friday in front 1383 fans at Mott Athletics Center. The Mustangs won by set scores of 25-22, 25-18 and 25-11. With the win the Mustangs improve to 7-7 overall and 1-0 in conference play while UCI falls to 9-6 overall and 0-1 in Big West play
The Mustangs continue with conference play on Saturday when the team will host Long Beach State at 7 pm.
Senior Chelsea Hardin led the Mustangs with 14 kills on 29 swings (.414) as the team played in front of their home fans for the first time this season. Fellow senior Megan McConnell tallied 12 kills with true freshman Taylor Gruenewald adding seven. Sophomore Hannah Schleis had six kills.
Sophomore Maddie Kuber dished out 33 assists with senior Steffi Sooter leading the team with 12 digs. Kuber recorded a double-double with her 11 digs with senior Kate Walters adding 10 digs. Senior Jennifer Keddy tallied four service aces.
Marisa Bubica led the Anteaters with eight kills as the Mustangs limited UCI to just an .074 hitting percentage.
Cal Poly hit a respectable .265 for the three set match and held a 57-41 advantage in digs. UCI outblocked the Mustangs, 6-5, but Cal Poly edge UCI in aces, 6-4.
In the first set the teams battled with the Mustangs finally pulling away late in the set. Cal Poly managed to out hit UCI, .118 to .106. UCI had four blocks in the set to keep things close.
In the second set the Mustangs took control behind McConnell's six kills as the team hit .267. Hardin added four kills on five swings. UCI hit .120 in the set, recording just eight kills on 25 swings. Bubica had five kills to lead the team.
The third set was dominated by the Mustangs from the first serve. Cal Poly did not commit a hitting error in the set while recording 13 kills on 21 swings (.619). Keddy set the pace with three aces in the set with Harding recording four kills. The Mustangs limited UCI to a .000 hitting percentage.
