Nov. 3, 2005

Box Score

Stockton, Calif. - The Pacific Tigers women's volleyball team fought back from down two games to force a fifth game, but the Tigers fell 3-2 to Long Beach State on Thursday, Nov. 3.

Game scores for the match were 31-29, 30-24, 28-30, 25-30, 16-14. The loss dropped Pacific to 13-10 on the season and 6-4 in Big West Conference play, while the 49ers moved to 18-5 overall and 7-2 in conference.

In one of the most exciting matches of the season, the Tigers fell behind two games to zero, dropping game one 31-29 and game two 30-24.

Following the break, Pacific battled back as the Tigers held Long Beach State to just a .140 hitting percentage in game three, forcing five errors and allowing only 11 kills. Pacific, meanwhile, had 22 kills in the third game and had a .213 hitting percentage. The Tigers took game three 30-25.

Pacific forced a fifth game with a 30-28 win in game four. The Tigers trailed game four 18-17, but Pacific scored ten of the next eleven points in the match to take a commanding 27-19 lead. Sophomore Julie Magud (Stockton, Calif.) and Kara Uhl (Cypress, Calif.) keyed the run for Pacific as Magud had two aces and Uhl had three kills during the run.

Trailing 14-10 in game five, Pacific mounted another comeback as the Tigers rattled off four straight points to tie the game at 14-14. Pacific's run started with a thunderous kill from the right side by senior Ashley Groothuis (Aurora, Neb.). Freshman Katie Perez (Stockton, Calif.) stepped to the service line for the Tigers and gave the Tigers the same spark she provided in games two through four. Pacific made it a 14-12 game on a quick set from junior Allison Ianni (East Lansing, Mich.), then pulled within one point as Groothuis and sophomore Johanna Hilbers (Omaha, Neb.) blocked Long Beach State's Dyanne Lawlor. Groothuis then pulled the Tigers even with a solo block on the 49ers Alexis Crimes.

Long Beach State, however, regained the lead at 15-14 on a kill from Crimes and won the match with a kill by Ali Daley.

Groothuis and Uhl paced the Tigers as both players finished with a double-double. Groothuis finished with a match-high 25 kills and 15 digs, while Uhl had 24 kills and 15 digs. Daley led Long Beach State with 20 kills.

The Tigers will be back in action on Saturday, Nov. 5 as Pacific travels to Davis, Calif. to take on UC Davis at 7 p.m.