FULLERTON, Calif. – It looked as if Cal State Fullerton was in jeopardy of squandering a two-set lead, but the Titans regrouped in the deciding game to clinch a five-set (25-16, 25-11, 25-27, 21-25, 15-11) victory over UC Davis on Friday night at Titan Gym.
The win against the Aggies (8-7, 0-2 Big West) halts a three-match skid for Fullerton (8-6, 1-1 Big West).
Alyse Hensley set new career bests for Fullerton with 20 kills and 32 digs to record her team-leading sixth double-double of the season. Fellow senior Bre Moreland added 20 kills – her second 20-kill match of 2013 – to go along with 20 digs as she tallied her fourth double-double of the year.
Conducting the Titan offense, which attacked at a rate of .269 for the match, was Julie Consani, who dished a match-high 61 assists. The total is a new career high for the junior from Newport Beach, Calif., as she was responsible for her fifth double-double of the year adding 13 digs.
Leah Best added 15 kills and six blocks for Fullerton, while Holland Crenshaw chipped in 11 kills and freshman McKenna Painton tracked down 26 digs.
After winning the first two games by scores of 25-16 and 25-11, Fullerton was knocking on the door of a sweep with a 24-20 advantage in the third set, but a UC Davis kill and back-to-back Titan errors followed by an Aggie ace evened the third set at 24-24 before UCD avoided the sweep in a 27-25 extra-point win.
In the dramatic third set as Fullerton wasted four match points, UC Davis' Katie Quinn led the Aggies with five kills, while Fullerton's attacking percentage cooled to .222. Devon Damelio and Megan Lancaster combined for 17 digs in the third set for the Aggies.
In the fourth set, UC Davis jumped out to an early 5-1 lead and never looked back. Damelio and Kaylin Squyres led the Aggies with five kills apiece, as UC Davis attacked at a rate of .271.
Squyres finished the match leading UC Davis with 16 kills and 12 digs, followed by Damelio's line of 14 kills and 24 digs.
In the first set, Cal State Fullerton attacked at a rate of .310, and only improved in the second set, attacking at a percentage of .412.
Cal State Fullerton returns to action Saturday hosting Cal State Northridge at 6 pm. The Titans will be available autographs following the match.
Notes: Fullerton holds a record of 2-2 in five-set matches in 2013…the Titans all-time record against UC Davis is 13-5…Alyse Hensley set new career highs in kills (20) and digs (32)…Julie Consani's 61 assists also marked a career best.
