Oct. 26, 2002

Final Stats

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Mark Honbo (530) 752-3505

26 October 2002

SHIBA, DOLGE LEAD SEAWOLVES TO VOLLEYBALL SWEEP

DAVIS, Calif. --- Junior outside hitter Christine Shiba posted a match-high 16 kills and hit .414 to lead Sonoma State to a 30-26, 30-25, 30-20 sweep of UC Davis in a California Collegiate Athletic Association women's volleyball match at Hickey Gym Saturday.

The Aggies drop to 7-17 on the season and 3-12 in CCAA action. The Seawolves move to 14-8 overall, 9-6 in conference play.

For UC Davis, Kelly Gaudino led offensively with 12 kills while picking up nine digs. Libero Mary McClelland recorded a match-best 15 digs.

"Sonoma serves aggressively. They don't let the errors get to them because they know they can make up for it in other ways," said UC Davis head coach Stephanie Hawbecker. "They had lost to Chico State [Friday] and were hungry for a win.

"We went in waves. Tonight was a matter of who was more consistent, and they did it. Give them credit for it. They had a good game plan for us."

Sonoma State opened up Game 1 when two Katie Dolge kills stretched an 11-10 lead to a 15-10 margin. The Aggies crept back to within one point on three occasions during that first game, but the Seawolves manage to stretch out the lead each time. Shiba scored kills in two of SSU's final three points to capture Game 1.

With the score tied at 19-19 in Game 2, setter Tina Mesquita served up six straight points on Aggie hitting errors to give the Seawolves a 25-19 margin. Shiba hit six kills on eight attempts for a .750 hitting average in that game alone. The Aggies' Gaudino responded offensively in that game, knocking down five kills on 14 swings.

Sonoma State never trailed in Game 3, running up an early 17-7 lead and holding that margin the rest of the way. Katie and Sandy Tuttle each served up a pair of aces during the third frame while the SSU defense picked up 24 of its 62 total digs in the final game.

Dolge finished the match with 11 kills for the Seawolves. Mesquita led SSU defensively with 12 digs to go with her match-high 42 assists. Erin Manly, Sandy Tuttle and Mesquita also served tough, providing long scoring runs in each game of the match.

The Aggies head to Southern California next weekend for continued CCAA action at Cal St. Dominguez Hills and Cal State L.A..

SSU (kills-aces-blocks) - Christina Shiba 16-1-3, Katie Dolge 11-2-0, Megan Dierker 9-1-2, Sandy Tuttle 7-3-2, Erin Manly 7-1-2, Kathleen Gamboa 0-1-0, Tina Mesquita 1-0-1, Ashley Arriola 0-0-0, Lindsay Smith 0-0-0, Lauren Ognibene 0-0-0. Totals 51-9-6.0. Assists - Tina Mesquita 42. Digs leaders - Tina Mesquita 12, Christina Shiba 11.

UC DAVIS (kills-aces-blocks) - Kelly Gaudino 12-2-1, Kate Wilton 7-0-1, Mary Gaber 3-1-1, Cassandra Prell 2-0-2, Kim Vincent 2-0-1, Jill McPheeters 1-2-3, Mary McClelland 1-0-0, Jennie Tilles 0-0-0, Ellen Fitzpatrick 0-0-1, Elizabeth Brown 0-0-0. Totals 28-5-6.0. Assists - Mary Gaber 20. Digs leader - Mary McClelland 15.

-mh-