Ag spikers fall to No. 5 Gauchos
Only four other teams have done it this season.
Against No. 5 University of California Santa Barbara, the Utah State women’s volleyball team managed to take a game from the Gauchos, falling in four (30-19, 28-30, 30-20, 30-23) at home Saturday.
The undefeated Gauchos (13-0 in Big West action, 23-0 overall) have only lost games in six matches. The Aggies (4-8, 10-13) won game two to avoid being swept by UCSB for the second time this season in Big West Conference play.
Despite picking up a game against Santa Barbara, Aggie Head Coach Burt Fuller said the team wasn’t satisfied with its performance.
“We played better, but we’re never going to be satisfied with winning one game just because we’re playing the No. 5 team in the country,” he said.
In the first game, Santa Barbara got on track early, jumping out to a six-point lead at 11-5. The Aggies fought back to within two points at 17-15, but the Gauchos closed the game on a 13-4 run to pick up the 30-19 win.
Game two started with the Aggies building momentum early off three straight kills by outside hitter Zuzana Cernianska. USU extended its lead to 14-9 before the Gauchos came storming back.
Down by three at 20-17, the Aggies managed to claw back into the lead at 25-24, only to commit three straight errors to put UCSB up 27-25.
After middle blocker Rickie Rigby pulled the Aggies within one on a kill, Santa Barbara returned the favor and committed three errors of its own to give Utah State a 29-27 lead. Two points later a Gaucho service error would give the game to the Aggies.
“We sort of need to lose a game to be able to feel the pressure to play,” said UCSB Head Coach Kathy Gregory. “They forced us to play better so they really helped us. I was a little concerned because they started to play real well.”
The match was knotted at 1-1 but any celebration for the Aggies was short-lived. UCSB closed out Utah State in the final two games for the match victory.
For the match, each team had a trio of players in double digits. Aggie middle blockers Rigby and Erin Cartwright had 12 and 15 kills, respectively. Cernianska finished with a team-high 17.
The Gauchos were led by three outside hitters. Danielle Bauer had 17 kills, Courtney Guerra added 14, and Erica Menzel had 15 kills in addition to a match-high 27 digs. Menzel had her 16th double-double of the season and tied a career-high in digs.
Defense was a big part of UCSB’s game as the Gaucho’s out-dug USU 83-63 and out-blocked the Aggies 12-4.
“They’re probably the best defensive team in the country,” Fuller said. “They’re not real big but they get their hands on balls blocking-wise and then they dig them and get them back.”
Rigby said Fuller told the team they would need to hit three of their best attacks just to get one kill.
“You’re going to have to swing for the court every time for two or three good balls because they’re going to be right there digging every ball, and that’s really frustrating,” Rigby said.
Rigby wasn’t alone in her frustration at the Gaucho defense.
“I was getting so mad,” said USU outside hitter Shauni Fluckiger. “I’d hit a ball and I’d feel like I got good contact on it and they’d just dig it up. They were
awesome.”
-slbk5@cc.usu.edu