Nov. 16, 2007

Box Score

Stockton, Calif. - The Pacific women's volleyball team got past UC Davis, 3-0, on Friday, Nov. 16.

With the win the Tigers moved to 16-9 on the season and finished the Big West Conference season at 9-7. UC Davis, meanwhile, fell to 4-24 overall and 1-15 on the Big West season.

Game scores for the match were: 30-26, 30-19, 30-28.

Both teams struggled to find their rhythm in the opening game as each team finished the game hitting under .100. Leading 23-22 the Tigers took control with four of the next five points. Senior Johanna Hilbers (Omaha, Neb.) started the late push for Pacific with her second kill of the game. Junior Kara Uhl (Cypress, Calif.) nabbed the next kill to make it 25-22. Following a point from the Aggies, Pacific forced back-to-back errors by UC Davis to take a 27-23 lead. Moments later holding a 29-26 lead, the Tigers closed the door on the first game on a kill from sophomore Meagan MimMack (Upland, Calif.).

Game two was another closed contest early as the two teams battled through six ties in the opening twenty points. Tied at 10-10, Pacific began to dominate play. The Tigers outscored UC Davis, 20-9, the rest of the way. Freshman Svenja Engelhardt (Sinsheim, Germany) ignited Pacific's run with a historic serve. with Pacific leading 12-10, Engelhardt served four straight points, including her 64th ace of the season to set the Tigers' single-season record for aces. Engelhardt broke the mark of 63 aces, set by Vikki Simonis in 1992.

Following the separation provided by Engelhardt's serve, the Tigers cruised to the 30-19 win. Pacific hit a match-high .316 during the second frame, with 18 kills and just six errors on 38 attempts.

Following the break, UC Davis returned to the court like a different team as the Aggies raced out to a 10-1 lead behind five kills. The Aggies held their lead well into game two, holding a 17-9 edge. Once again the Tigers used their tough serving to get back in the game. A kill from Engelhardt sent sophomore Dancyne Kama (Hilo, Hawaii) to the service line.

Kama responded with back-to-back service aces to make it a 17-12 contest. The Tigers continued to claw their way back, highlighted by another ace, this time from Hilbers. The Pacific comeback was completed by sophomore Olivia Riley (Agua Dulce, Calif.) when she delivered an ace to tie the game at 20-20. The two teams battled back and forth through the end of game three as the game hung in the balance at 28-28. Pacific turned to their veterans to put the match away as Hilbers and Uhl slammed home back-to-back kills to give the Tigers the sweep, 30-28.

Uhl led the Tigers with 14 kills and 13 digs in the match for her 11th double-double of the season. Engelhardt finished with 13 kills in the match.

Kayla Varney led UC Davis with 10 kills.

Pacific returns to action on Friday, Nov. 23 as Pacific hosts Fresno State in the second match of the 29th Annual Community Bankers Classic at 7 p.m.