Nov. 22, 2003
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Having already clinched its second-consecutive Big West Conference title, the 19th-ranked UC Santa Barbara women's volleyball team concluded league play Saturday night with a disappointing 11-30, 30-24, 29-31, 30-26, 15-12 defeat to Cal Poly in the Thunderdome.
In losing their first home match of 2003, the Gauchos fell to 18-8 overall and 14-4 in Big West action. Meanwhile the Mustangs ended an eight-match losing streak to UCSB and concluded their season at 13-16 and 5-13 in the conference.
Game one was not indicative of how the rest of the match would play out, as Santa Barbara hit .559 and cruised to its widest victory margin in the three-year history of rally scoring. The Gauchos also looked sharp to open the second frame before CP reeled off seven unanswered points to pull ahead and never relinquished its lead.
The visitors then had a golden opportunity to gain a 2-1 advantage, holding five game points at 29-25 in the third frame. However UCSB subsequently went on a 6-0 run - including a kill by junior Amy Sarkaria who was substituting for the injured Francina Edmonds - to rally for victory.
Cal Poly rebounded for an impressive game four win, and then held an 11-6 cushion in the decisive fifth frame. Before 551 exuberant home fans, Santa Barbara battled back to knot the score, but would tally just one more point the rest of the way. Mustang senior Molly Duncan - playing her final collegiate match - clinched the upset by tipping back and errant Gaucho pass.
UCSB was led in defeat by senior outside hitter Erica Menzel with 19 kills and a career-best 28 digs for her 16th double-double of the season. Olivia Waldowski, Megan Blackshire and Janine Sandell were the other Gauchos to reach double-figures with 15, 13 and 10 put-aways, respectively. Junior setter Mari Bell established a new rally scoring school record of 64 assists, while junior libero Kristin Nelson scooped 27 balls as part of Santa Barbara's 111 team digs, also a new best in the rally scoring era.
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In addition to Duncan's match-best 20 kills, Vanessa Gilliam slammed home 16 balls and Jessica Diepersloot notched 14 put-aways. The Mustangs won despite being out-hit .223 to .190, although they did own a 12 to nine blocking advantage.
The Gauchos - who have earned the Big West's automatic NCAA Tournament berth - have one final tune-up before their 23rd consecutive Big Dance appearance when 25th-ranked Arizona invades the Thunderdome on Saturday, Nov. 29. First serve is slated for 7:00 p.m.
