Sept. 20, 2003

Final Stats

DAVIS, Calif. -

Freshman middle blocker Nicole Read posted a team-best 15 kills and hit .500 to go with four blocks as UC Davis defeated San Francisco State, 26-30, 30-28, 33-31, 30-20, in a California Collegiate Athletic Association women's volleyball match at Upper Hickey Gym Saturday.

The Aggies remain unbeaten at home, improving to 7-4 on the season and 2-2 in CCAA play. The Gators drop to 3-9 overall and 1-3 in conference play. It is the third victory in five days for UC Davis, all at home.

Krystle Davis led all hitters with 22 kills for SFSU. She also added 17 digs, two service aces and three total blocks, including a pair of solos. Teammate Casey Petersen also contributed a double-double, compiling 11 kills and 15 digs.

Aggie outside hitters Kate Wilton and Kelly Gaudino combined for 25 kills and 36 digs and Mary McClelland posted 17 digs despite playing only the final three games, but perhaps the most significant contributions came from the UC Davis bench. Senior opposite Ellen Fitzpatrick began rotating into the lineup during Game 2 and hit five kills on nine attempts during the second and third games. Junior outside hitter Kim Vincent entered in relief during Game 3 with the Aggies trailing 10-9. She recorded three kills on her first four attempts to help her team reverse the deficit and build a 16-11 lead.

"We're starting to understand that whether you're starting or coming off the bench, it can be very important," said UC Davis head coach Stephanie Hawbecker. "We're starting to believe that one ball off the bench could make a total difference in a tight match. They may feel like their impact is small when they're coming off the bench, but it's not."

The Gators employed a pair of 5-0 runs to assume control of the first game, transforming a 10-9 deficit to a 14-10 lead, then later converting an 18-18 tie into a 23-18 advantage. UC Davis managed to trim the lead in the final Game 1 stretch, but late points from Krystle Davis kept the Gators ahead.

"We were not executing tempo [in the first game]. We rely a lot on passing and defensive tempo -- passing the ball no higher than the antenna," said Hawbecker. "Until we started dictating the tempo better and serving tougher, they were out-executing us. Once we won the second game, everyone relaxed in a positive way."

In Game 2, UC Davis managed to turn a 23-21 deficit into a 27-23 lead, sparked by five straight Aggie kills. However, SFSU battled back to a 27-27 knot with two kills each by Aziza Bledsoe and Casey Petersen. UC Davis finished the game with kills by Fitzpatrick and Read to even the games score to 1-1.

Wilton caught fire in the fourth game, hitting five kills on 11 swings and adding six digs in that frame. UC Davis enjoyed an 8-3 run midway through Game 4 then extended its lead to 23-14 on the second of back-to-back aces by Marritt Cafarchia.

The Aggies return to road conference action with matches at Cal State L.A. and Cal St. Dominguez Hills on September 26 and 27.

SFSU (kills-aces-blocks) - Audry Biehle 3-2-2, Brooke Leverette 6-0-0, Chris Matteucci 4-1-2, Aziza Bledsoe 17-3-0, Casey Petersen 11-0-4, Krystle Davis 22-2-3, Angela Abuyen 0-0-0, Gina Viselli 1-0-0, Dawn Heumann 0-0-0. Totals 64-8-7.0. Assists - Chris Matteucci 46. Digs leaders - Brooke Leverette 19, Chris Matteucci 19, Krystle Davis 17, Casey Petersen 15.

UC DAVIS (kills-aces-blocks) - Kate Wilton 13-1-0, Jenny Pierce 4-1-3, Kelly Gaudino 12-0-1, Marritt Cafarchia 4-3-4, Christina Ng 0-0-0, Nicole Read 15-3-4, Mary McClelland 1-0-0, Ingrid Nuss 0-0-0, Mary Gaber 0-0-1, Kim Vincent 3-1-1, Ellen Fitzpatrick 5-0-2. Totals 57-9-9.5. Assists - Kelly Gaudino 47. Digs leaders - Kelly Gaudino 22, Mary McClelland 17, Kate Wilton 14.