Stinson's 29 Kills Not Enough in 3-2 Loss at UC Riverside

Tuesday, November 3

Riverside, Calif.

7:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

5-18, 4-7BWC

UC Riverside

8-16, 3-8BWC

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
CSUN	19	25	26	22	17	2
UC Riverside	25	21	24	25	19	3

Photo by: Juan Ocampo

Stinson's 29 Kills Not Enough in 3-2 Loss at UC Riverside

11/3/2015 9:43:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

NORTHRIDGE, CA - Senior Cieana Stinson pounded a career-high 29 kills but it wasn't enough as CSUN dropped a five-set decision at UC Riverside Tuesday night. Set scores were 25-19, 21-25, 24-26, 25-22, 19-17.

The Matadors (5-18, 4-7 Big West) return home to open a season-long, four-match homestand Saturday against No. 6 Hawai'i after finishing winless on a three-match road trip to Davis, Irvine and Riverside.

Stinson was called on to take a career-high 70 swings against the Highlanders, converting 29 to hit .300. Junior Julie Haake added 15 kills (.261) on a career-high 46 attacks and freshman Aeryn Owens chipped in 13 kills on 31 swings (.290). The Matador middles, Rachel Diaz and Stephanie Serna Arreola, who had been effective in recent weeks, struggled with six kills and nine errors combined.

Stinson and Owens each had a swing at the match that was stuffed by the Highlanders as CSUN failed to convert four match points in a tough fifth set.

CSUN wound up hitting .208 (68-27-197) as a team while the host Highlanders hit .233 (67-23-189). Each team committed 13 service errors but UCR had six aces to CSUN's three. The Matadors posted an 89-86 advantage in digs led by Kristey Markle's career-high 27. Junior setter Maddie Leiphardt posted her team-leading fourth double-double (59 assists-10 digs) in the loss.

After dropping the first set 25-19, CSUN led by as many as eight points in the second set only to see the hosts cut the lead to three (24-21) late in the set. But following a Matador timeout, Stinson's 14th kill gave CSUN the 25-21 win. Trailing 23-21 in the third set, the Matadors went to Haake on three straight possessions and the junior converted each time giving CSUN set point at 24-23. After UCR saved one set point, a Highlander hitting error followed by a Stinson kill gave CSUN a two sets to one lead.

After the hosts claimed the fourth set 25-22, the two teams headed to the fifth where the Matadors forged a 10-7 lead following an Owens kill. Still leading by three at 11-8, CSUN surrendered a four-point Highlander run that put UCR back in front 12-11. The Matadors answered by scoring three of the next four points to set themselves up with match point at 14-13. The Highlanders saved that match point as well as three others before rallying for the final three points of the match.

Helena Peric led UC Riverside (8-16, 3-8 Big West) with 23 kills while hitting .308 on 52 swings.

- GOMATADORS.COM -