The University of the Pacific volleyball team dropped a pair of matches to SMU and North Carolina to begin the 2021 season. Pacific started the day with a 25-12, 25-14, 25-21 loss to SMU before a back and forth contest with North Carolina in the nightcap, losing in four – 25-17, 25-22, 22-25, 25-16.
Despite the losses, there was plenty of takeaways for the Tigers. Newcomer
Darina Kumanova made an immediate impact, recording double-digit kills 10 and 18, respectively.
Gabby Leo started her senior campaign with a double double in the Tigers' final match of the day.
Statistically speaking….
Vs. North Carolina
For Pacific…
•
Alexa Edwards had a match-high 18 kills.
•
Darina Kumanova had 10 kills and 13 digs for her first career double double.
•
Gabby Leo had her first double double of the season and 22nd of her career with 19 assists and 13 digs.
For North Carolina
• The tandem of Emily Zinger and Nia Robinson had 14 and 12 kills, respectively to lead the Tar Heels.
• Meghan Nelson had a match-high 20 assists and Karenna Wurl was involved in a match-high 24 digs.
Set 1
Pacific scored the first points on the match, following back to back kills by
Ramonni Cook and
Alexa Edwards. Four unanswered by the Tar Heels put them ahead for the remainder of the set. Edwards finished the set with five kills and a .400 hitting percentage.
Set 2
The second set saw the Tigers down by seven points, 14-7, until the Pacific rattled off a 12-2 run to take its first lead in the set for a 19-16 lead. The run saw four-different Pacific players record a kill in the spurt. North Carolina rallied back to score nine of the next 12 points to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
Set 3
Edwards led the Tigers with seven kills and the Tigers frontline provided four blocks en route to its first set victory of the season. Facing a 15-10 deficit, head coach
Greg Gibbons called timeout and the Tigers responded with six-straight points for its first lead of the set, 16-15. The lead went back and forth as the two teams were tied on four occasions before a kill by Kumanova and a block by
Sedona Sherman and
Abby Miller put the Tigers ahead for the remainder of the set.
Set 4
The two teams traded the first 10 points, tied at 5. Four-straight points by North Carolina put them ahead for the remainder of the set. Kuminova added four kills to lead Pacific in the set.
Vs. SMU
Statistically speaking….
For Pacific…
• Kuminova had 10 kills and five digs and freshman
Jenna Heller had 14 assists in her Pacific debut.
• Edwards added nine kills,
Gabby Leo provided 13 assists and
Jadyn Tubbs added 14 digs in the contest.
For SMU…
• The tandem of Hannah Jacobs and Jadyn Bauss had 13 and 11 kills, respectively to lead the Mustangs.
• Bria' Merchant added three service aces and solid play along the frontline saw SMU record eight blocks including four by Kalyn Winkler.
• Makayla Miller had a match-high 17 digs and Lily Heim had a match-high 32 assists.
MATCH SUMMARY
Set 1
SMU controlled the opening set, hitting at a .484 clip en route to a 25-12 win. The Mustangs started the match on a 9-2 run. Kaylyn Winkler and Alex Glover each had four kills to pace the offensive attack for the host Mustangs. Lily Heim provided 13 assists to the attack.
Set 2
After an 8-2 run to start the second set, the Tigers came back to close within four, 12-8 as four-different Tigers recorded a kill. The hitting for the Tigers started to come around with a .154 hitting percentage.
Set 3
Despite a 4-0 deficit to start the set, Pacific and SMU went back and forth throughout the set. Twice, the Tigers cut the lead to two in the set. Kuminova had five kills to lead the Tigers, who saw its hitting percentage to continue to improve as they hit .171 in the set.
Up Next
The trip to Texas will wrap up on Saturday at 9 a.m. (PST) with a matchup against pre-season WAC favorite Stephen F. Austin.
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