FULLERTON, Calif. — Danielle Jefferies posted 18 kills and Lyla Traylor had 16 but the Cal State Fullerton women's volleyball team fell in five sets to UC Davis at Titan Gym Saturday on Senior Night.
Jefferies boasted a .375 hitting percentage on the night, also adding four blocks and four digs. Traylor contributed a double-double with 14 digs on top of her 16 kills, also posting three blocks and an ace. Martinez tied her career-high with 12 kills while tallying three blocks and a pair of digs.
Liz Schuter dished out 46 assists to go with six kills on a .667 clip and nine digs. Dominique Velarde had 17 digs for the Titans, while Nadia Koanui added 15 and Málie McClure had 11.
Fullerton fell behind in the match after dropping set one but came back in sets two and three to go up 2-1. The Titans couldn't quite close things out in the fourth after bringing it to match point, ultimately dropping the fourth and fifth sets in close fashion. The loss brings Fullerton's final record on the season to 13-15, including 7-13 in Big West play. The Titans' 13 wins is the team's most since the 2012 campaign.
The Aggies jumped out to a 7-2 advantage to start the match, but kills from Martinez, Robinson and Jefferies cut the Titans' deficit to three, 9-6. After later falling behind 13-6, Fullerton used a 9-4 run to come back within two, 17-15, highlighted by back-to-back kills from Martinez. The Titans hung around, trailing 21-18 following a Traylor kill, but UC Davis scored four of the next five to take set one, 25-19.
UC Davis forced an early Titan timeout after getting out to a 10-6 advantage, but a 5-0 run capped by kills by Martinez and Traylor later gave Fullerton a 13-12 lead. The Titans extended their lead to three, 18-15, following a solo block from Martinez. Kills from McClure and Jefferies and an Aggie service error brought things to set point for the Titans, 24-22. But UC Davis fought back to tie the set at 24-all, and again at 25-all. Fullerton then scored the next two with back-to-back kills from Traylor, winning set two, 27-25.
S2 | The hustle pays off ��#TusksUp pic.twitter.com/ZheVq0amT7
— Titans Volleyball (@Fullerton_WVB) November 27, 2022
In the third set, Fullerton jumped out to a 15-8 advantage with kills from Jefferies and Traylor and a Velarde service ace. The Titans maintained a six-point lead, 19-13, with kills from Schuster and Martinez. But the Aggies responded with a 6-0 run to tie things up at 19. Fullerton scored the next three, highlighted by a Robinson kill, but UC Davis scored the following four to go up 23-22. The Aggies took things to set point, 24-23, but a Jefferies kill and back-to-back UC Davis attack errors gave Fullerton set three, 26-24.
S3 | DJ powers home her 10th kill of the match ��#TusksUp pic.twitter.com/e4hQS2Vg8c
— Titans Volleyball (@Fullerton_WVB) November 27, 2022
Fullerton got out to another quick start in the fourth set, as kills by Schuster, Martinez and Jefferies put the Titans up 8-1. Fullerton maintained a six-point lead, 14-8, following a kill by Schuster and Velarde ace. But UC Davis responded, scoring the next five to cut its deficit to one, 15-14. Teams then traded points, as a McClure kill gave the Titans a 20-18 advantage. Fullerton brought the set to game point, 24-23, following back-to-back kills from Jefferies and another by Traylor. But the Aggies scored the next three to take set four, 26-24.
In the decisive fifth set, UC Davis jumped out to a 6-2 lead before a Martinez kill and Traylor ace brought the Titans within two, 6-4. The Aggies extended their lead to six, 12-6, but Fullerton responded with a 6-0 run highlighted by Schuster and Jefferies kills to tie things up at 12. Teams traded points, as the Titans staved off a match point with a Schuster kill to keep things tied at 14. But the Aggies scored the next two to take set five, 16-14, and the match, 3-2.
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