Matadors Edge UC Irvine in Big West Opener

NORTHRIDGE, CA - Aeryn Owens pounded a match-high 22 kills to lead the CSUN volleyball team to a 20-25, 25-23, 21-25, 25-23, 15-13 victory over UC Irvine in the Big West opener for both teams Thursday at UCI's Bren Events Center.

Owens led three Matador hitters with double figure kill totals as the sophomore outside hitter hit .234 on 64 swings. She also recorded a career-high 14 digs to complete her first collegiate double-double. Owens rounded out the match with seven blocks (three solo), also a career-high, and one ace.

Senior Julie Haake added 12 kills on .346 hitting while Nada Dragovic chipped in a season-high 11 kills (.258) to go with eight digs. Melissa Eaglin also notched a season-high nine kills (.273) along with five blocks.

CSUN (5-8, 1-0 Big West) hit .223 as a team, its highest since hitting .239 against Samford on Sept. 10. Junior setter Lauren Conati handed out 52 assists along with 12 digs for her team-leading fourth double-double this season. Libero Katie Sato scooped up a match-high 29 digs and matched Conati with two aces as the Matadors had five as a team.

After hitting .108 in dropping the first set 25-20, CSUN bounced back to knock down 14 kills in .211 hitting in claiming set two 25-23.

The hosts took a 2-1 lead after taking set three 25-21 but the Matadors were able to force a fifth set after pulling out a tight 25-23 win in the fourth.

Kills from Eaglin, Dragovic, Owens and Conati gave CSUN an early 5-3 lead in the decisive set when a 4-2 UCI run knotted the score at seven. At 8-8, Erin Indermill's service error gave the Anteaters their final lead at 9-8. UCI was whistled for a setting error on the ensuing point and the Matadors followed up with a kill from Owens, a co-block from Dragovic and Eaglin and a Sato ace to open up a 12-9 cushion.

After UCI battled back behind a 4-1 run, an Anteater service error and a Haake kill snapped a 13-13 tie and the Matadors had a win conference opening win over UCI for the second straight year.

Victoria Dennis had 19 kills for UC Irvine which dropped to 5-10 overall and 0-1 in conference.

CSUN completes its season-opening 14-match road trip Saturday as the Matadors head to UC Davis for a conference match at 7:30 p.m.

#GoMatadors

Matadors Edge UC Irvine in Big West Opener

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Team Stats

Aeryn Owens

Julie Haake

Nada Dragovic

Melissa Eaglin

Players Mentioned

Lauren Conati

Nada Dragovic

Melissa Eaglin

Julie Haake

Erin Indermill

Aeryn Owens

Katie Sato