IRVINE, Calif. — Despite a career-high 20 kills from Danielle Jefferies, Cal State Fullerton women's volleyball came up just short in a five-set thriller at UC Irvine Friday night.
Jefferies' 20 kills led all hitters, as she hit at a .260 clip on the night to go along with three blocks and a pair of digs. Lyla Traylor added 13 kills for the Titans while also contributing 19 digs, a block and an ace. Julia Crawford totaled 10 kills and 12 digs while Lolo Fonua had eight kills and two digs.
Bianca Martinez tallied six blocks and five kills on the match, while Elizabeth Schuster racked up 41 assists. Schuster and Nadia Koanui recorded 22 digs apiece for the Titans.
After falling down 2-1 in the match, the Titans came from behind to win the fourth period, 25-23, and force a deciding fifth set. The Titans kept things close in the fifth but couldn't quite finish it out, falling 15-11 in the period. As a team, the Titans notched a season-high 95 digs while totaling 56 kills on a .141 clip.
UC Irvine started things off by jumping out to a 7-3 lead in the first set, but a kill from Jefferies and another from Crawford brought the Titans back within two, 16-14. UC Irvine, however, scored five of the next six to take a 21-15 advantage. Jefferies added another kill, her fifth of the set, but UC Irvine finished the set strong, winning 25-18.
Cal State Fullerton turned things around in the second set, going up 7-3 early following a Malie McClure service ace and four kills from Jefferies. UC Irvine responded, tying things up at 12-all later in the period. Jefferies' hot hitting continued, as she added another pair of kills to help the Titans go up 18-14. A block from Naia Stewart and Martinez later put the Titans up 22-18, and another Jefferies kill followed by a McClure ace gave the Titans set two, 25-19.
S2 | McClure gets the ace and the Titans take set two, 25-19!!#TusksUp pic.twitter.com/IHXILlP0em
— Titans Volleyball (@Fullerton_WVB) October 15, 2022
Teams traded points to start the third set, as Martinez tallied a kill and a block to bring the Titans within one, 7-6. However, UC Irvine scored five of the following six points to go up 12-6. UC Irvine maintained its momentum throughout the period, leading 20-11 before a Jefferies kill gave the Titans some life. UC Irvine then went on to take set three, 25-16, and go up 2-1 in the match.
S3 | Jefferies goes down the line for her 16th kill of the match ��#TusksUp pic.twitter.com/OYOZsXGmL7
— Titans Volleyball (@Fullerton_WVB) October 15, 2022
The fourth set went back and forth from the get go, as back-to-back kills from Crawford and another from Fonua tied the set at 8-all. Three consecutive kills from Traylor, Fonua and Jefferies later tied the set at 17 apiece. The Titans went on another 4-0 run to go up 23-19, highlighted by a kill from Jefferies and a block from Crawford and Jefferies. A kill from Crawford brought the Titans to game point, but three straight points from UC Irvine narrowed the Titans' lead, 24-23. Schuster then set up Martinez for a kill on the slide, as the Titans won the set 25-23 to tie the match at 2-all.
S4 | @lyla_traylor drops the roll shot for her 11th kill of the match ��#TusksUp pic.twitter.com/Z4td0v9ETl
— Titans Volleyball (@Fullerton_WVB) October 15, 2022
UC Irvine got out to a 5-3 lead in the fifth set but the Titans hung around, as a pair of kills from Martinez kept the Titans within one, 6-5. Back-to-back kills from Fonua and another two from Jefferies then brought the score to 10-9, with UC Irvine leading. UC Irvine, however, scored the next three to go up 13-9. A kill from Crawford stopped UC Irvine's scoring run but wasn't enough, as UC Irvine finished the set off, 15-11, to win the match, 3-2.
The Titans return to action tomorrow, Saturday, October 15th, at UC San Diego. First serve is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. PT.
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