The University of the Pacific volleyball team posted its first two wins of the season as they defeated Tarleton State and UC San Diego in straight-set fashion on the opening day of the Pacific Community Classic.
 
To start the day, the Tigers defeated Tarleton State, 25-22, 25-18, 25-17 for its first straight-set win of the season. Pacific out hit the visiting TexAnns by a .276 to .205 margin. For Pacific, Alexa Edwards paced the attack with a match-high 14 kills and a .353 hitting percentage. Jadyn Tubbs had 15 digs and five service aces, plus Gabby Leo and Jenna Heller had 18 and 17 assists, respectively. The frontline tandem of Kaelyn Saler and Darina Kumanova had five and three blocks, respectively.

Set 1
Pacific started the match on a 5-1 run that included a pair of service aces by Darina Kumanova for the early lead. The Tigers built a 16-11 lead in the set to prompt a timeout by Tarleton State. The visitors rallied to take a 19-17 lead. Pacific answered the threat and managed to win the set by a 25-22 margin. Like the set began, the Tigers service game was clutch down the stretch with a pair of Tubbs' service aces.

Set 2
The Tigers overcame an early 7-3 deficit to tie the set to tie the set at 7 and prompt a Tarleton State timeout. The two teams managed to be tied on five occasions, including at 9 before six straight Pacific points put the Tigers ahead for the remainder of the set. Edwards and the Tigers posted a .367 hitting percentage and was dominant along the front line with eight blocks in the set.
 
Set 3
Pacific closed out its first straight-set win of the season with a 25-17 victory in the third set. The first 12 points of the set were split between the two teams until Pacific went ahead after an Edwards kill and a block by the tandem of Kaelyn Saler and Lucy Carpenter. Edwards would finish the set with five more kills, Jenna Heller and Gabby Leo added six and five assists, respectively. The Tigers recorded four more service aces.
 
After picking up its first win of the season, the Tigers came back in the evening to post a 25-20, 25-16, 25-22 win over UC San Diego. Edwards had a team-high 15 kills to lead Pacific, who hit .196 in the win. Ramonni Cook added eight kills and four block assists. The Tiger frontline controlled the net, recording 20 blocks with five each from Kaelyn Saler and Sedona Sherman. Pacific held UCSD to a .076 hitting percentage. To complement the frontline play, UOP served up eight more service aces, including five from Darina Kumanova. The match was tied on nine occasions and only saw four lead changes. 

Set 1
The two teams traded sideouts to start the match before Kumanova put Pacific ahead after a UCSD hitting error with a service ace to put the Tigers ahead for the remainder of the set. Alexa Edwards continued her strong play with six kills to lead UOP, who hit .250 in the opening set. Plus, Jenna Heller had five assists and the Tigers had four blocks.
 
Set 2
The second set saw Pacific lead from start to finish as they raced out to a 10-2 lead and never looked back. Five more kills from Edwards led the Tigers and UCSD was held to a -.062 hitting percentage.
 
Set 3
Pacific closed out the match with a 25-22 win in the third set. The set saw the Tigers come back to rally for the set victory. After a UOP timeout, a pair of Tritons' hitting errors tied the set at 20. The two teams split the next two points to tie the set at 21. Pacific regained the lead for the remainder of the match after a Tritons' setting error and Kumanova recorded one of her five kills to put the host Tigers ahead 23-21. Cook closed out the match with a kill to seal the victory. Kumanova led the Tigers with five kills to go along with three service aces in the set. 

Up Next
The Tigers will host Cal in the final match of the tournament with the winner taking home the championship at 2 p.m. on Saturday. 

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