Nov. 16, 2006

Box Score

STOCKTON, Calif. - The Pacific women's volleyball team rallied from a two-game deficit to force a fifth game, but dropped the decisive set, 15-9, in a Big West Conference defeat to UC Irvine on Thursday, Nov. 16, at the Alex G. Spanos Center.

The loss dropped the Tigers to 7-19 on the season and 3-10 in the Big West Conference. UC Irvine, meanwhile, moved to 12-15 overall and 7-6 in conference play.

Game scores for the match were: 30-22, 32-30, 27-30, 19-30 and 15-9.

After dropping the first game, 30-22, Pacific appeared to be ready to tie the match as the Tigers held a 29-25 lead in game two. UC Irvine, however, responded with five straight points to take a 30-29 edge. The Anteaters went on to take game two, 32-30.

Following the break, Pacific returned to the floor and immediately dug themselves a 6-1 hole. Given every opportunity to quit, the Tigers did anything but. Pacific rallied to tie game three at 6-6 with five straight points. Junior Julie Magud (Stockton, Calif.) capped the Tigers run with one of her three aces in the match. With new life, the Tigers battled back and forth with the Anteaters as the two teams fought through five ties and three lead changes. Trailing 13-12, the Tigers forced UC Irvine into three straight errors to take their first lead of game three at 15-13. The Tigers did not relinquish the lead the rest of the way, capturing game three, 30-27.

Riding the momentum of their game three victory, Pacific steamrolled UC Irvine with a dominant performance in game four. Pacific hit a match-high .485 as the Tigers had 18 kills and two errors on 33 attempts. UC Irvine, meanwhile, hit just .098. The Tigers evened the match with a 30-19 win, sending the match to a decisive game five.

Game five was a seesaw affair throughout the first 15 points, including seven ties and four lead changes. Pacific held an 8-7 lead as the two teams broke for a media timeout. Upon returning to the floor, UC Irvine rattled off seven consecutive points to take a 14-8 lead. The Anteaters run propelled them to a 15-9 win.

Pacific sophomore Alexa Anderson (Los Gatos, Calif.) led the Tigers with a match-high 25 kills. She also completed a double-double with 13 digs. Freshman Dancyne Kama (Hilo, Hawaii) also notched a double-double for the Tigers as delivered 33 assists and 17 digs in her first match since Sept. 21, when she suffered a severe ankle strain.

UC Irvine's Lauren Kellerman led the Anteaters with 23 kills.

The Tigers will be back in action on Saturday, Nov. 18 as Pacific hosts Long Beach State in their final Big West Conference match of the season.