Oct. 30, 2008
Fullerton, Calif. - UC Irvine's Lauren Kellerman connected for 19 kills as the Anteater's rallied back in set No. 5 to beat Cal State Fullerton, 3-2, in a Big West Conference match up Thursday night at Titan Gym.
With the 23-25, 11-25, 25-23, 25-19, 8-15 loss, the Titans drop to 12-13 on the year and 5-5 in league play while the Anteaters boost their record to 11-11, 6-3. The Titans are now 2-2 in 5-set matches.
The two teams squared off in the first set with Irvine scoring three of the last four points courtesy of two Shannan Homan kills and a Titan service error, before handing the Titans their second-worst set loss of the year in set No. 2.
Trailing 0-2 coming out of the break, the Titans scratched and clawed their way back in sets three and four behind 14 kills by senior Brittany Moore. Moore finished with a match-leading 20 kills on the night, but her offensive effort got Fullerton back to even heading into the fifth and deciding set.
Kellerman took over in set five, accounting for six of the team's 15 total points with six kills, four of them for the final five Irvine points to seal the visitors victory.
Three Titans finished in double figures in kills on the night as the Fullerton squad hit just .147 on the match. Alex Wolnisty and Jennifer Edmond each tallied 12 kills to add to Moore's 20, which along with 13 digs, gave the senior her 11th double-double of the year.
Kari Pestolesi was the only other Anteater in double figures in kills with 10. Fullerton's Cami Croteau and Irvine's Devon Sutherland both paced the match with 29 digs apiece, heading up the floor that provided 10 players in double-digit digs.
Irvine out-blocked Fullerton 9.0 to 4.0 behind four blocks from both Taryn Robertson and Homen. Robertson led the floor with a pair of solo blocks.
The Titans return to the floor Saturday night as they host UC Riverside at 7 p.m.