Dahle and Wright lead team to decisive victory against CCAA rival.
The UCSD women’s volleyball team looked to rebound after dropping its previous match to San Francisco State last Saturday night. The team came to play on Thursday night, Oct. 15 against California Collegiate Athletic Association rival Cal State Monterey Bay and won three straight sets against the 4–11 Otters to earn a four-set victory. Its resilience allowed UCSD to break .500 and improve to a 10–9 record, while Cal State Monterey Bay dropped to a 4–12 record.
The Tritons found themselves in a tight battle in the first set of the night, with the score tied 10 times throughout. Junior outside hitter Meagan Wright’s four kills helped keep things close. However, Cal State Monterey Bay’s 15 kills would prove too much for UCSD. The Tritons ended up on the short end of the stick, dropping the set 21–25.
The end of the first set was a turning point in the match for the Tritons. They started well in the next set, leading to an 8–1 run to start the match. Led by senior outside hitter Danielle Dahle’s five kills, the streak would continue throughout the set, with the team amassing 10 kills with a team attack percentage of .810. The Tritons bested the Otters 25–12.
The last two sets were close in score, but it was clear that nothing could get UCSD out of its groove. The Tritons fell behind early in the third set, but a kill by sophomore middle blocker Rebecca Seaberry tied the game up at 8–8 and was a turning point in the set, as UCSD never trailed again. Although the set featured seven ties, UCSD ultimately handled Cal State Monterey Bay 25–18 to take a two-to-one set lead.
The Tritons closed out the game in winning fashion, never trailing in the fourth set and beating the Otters 25–17. Dahle and Wright’s kill streak continued, as both dominated the final two sets with eight kills each.
Dahle finished the game with 16 kills and 18.0 points, while Wright accumulated 15 kills and 16.5 points. Sophomore middle blocker Alyssa McNeely hit a team-leading .667 with eight kills and no errors, while senior setter Heidi Sierks earned her 13th double-double with 46 assists and 10 digs. Sophomore outside hitter Amanda Colla led the team in digs with 19.
UCSD got out of its recent hitting slump to hit an impressive .331 for 57 kills and 14 errors in 130 total attempts, while Cal State Monterey Bay hit only .173 for 44 kills and 20 errors in 139 total attempts.
“Tonight was a great win for us on the road,” UCSD Head Coach Ricci Luyties told the UCSD Athletics Department. “We showed a lot of resilience.”
Up next, UCSD will host Chico State on Oct. 23.
