Matadors Finish 2-1 at Wildcat Classic After 3-1 Loss to Arizona

Saturday, September 17

Tucson, Ariz.

1:30 pm

California State University at Northridge

5-7,0-0Big West

Arizona

10-1,0-0Pac-12

CSUN

Arizona

Photo by: Steve Fitzgerald

Matadors Finish 2-1 at Wildcat Classic After 3-1 Loss to Arizona

9/17/2022 3:34:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

TUCSON, Ariz. – The CSUN Matadors wrapped up the 2022 non-conference season with a 3-1 loss to Arizona to conclude the Wildcat Classic Saturday at McKale Center.

Junior Lauryn Anderson led the Matadors with nine kills while hitting .400 on 20 swings but CSUN could not hang on after taking to opening set in a 23-25, 25-16, 25-10, 25-21 Arizona win. CSUN finished the tournament 2-1 and heads into the Big West season at 5-7 overall.

KEY STATISTICS
• Anderson added a season-high six blocks (three solo) and one ace as she had a team-high 14.5 points.
• Senior Nicole Nevarez added eight kills (.190) and 11 digs while Taylor Orshoff also had eight kills (.136) and three blocks.
• Sophomore setter Carisa Barron posted 21 assists, six kills and six digs while hitting .190 on 21 attacks. Fellow setter Kaia Kanan added 12 assists, one ace and one dig.
• CSUN libero Breanna Mitchell led all players with a match-high 20 digs.
• Sofia Diaz Maldonado led all hitters with 16 kills (.387) to lead the Wildcats (10-1).

COACH JOHN PRICE SAID
"The first set we played well but I thought we pressed a little from that point on and made some mistakes. We got down big in the fourth set and the fact that we didn't quit was great to see. I feel like we've made huge strides since week one and we're in a much better position heading into conference play."

SET 1
The Matadors got off to an impressive start, leading 6-3 following an Arizona hitting error. After the Wildcats used a 3-0 run to tie the score, CSUN rolled off a 6-1 run to force an Arizona timeout at 12-7. A Taylor Hunter kill kept the Matadors on top by five at 16-11 when the hosts outscore CSUN 8-3 over the next 11 points to pull even at 19-19. Three more Wildcat points gave Arizona its largest lead of the set at 22-19 and UA still led by three at 23-20 when the Matadors rallied. A Nevarez kill followed by consecutive hitting errors forced a Wildcat timeout before an Anderson ace and a co-block from Hunter and Magdalena Juric capped a set-clinching 5-0 run for the Matadors.

SET 2
Anderson's solo block pulled CSUN even at 2-2 early in the second set before the Wildcats put together a 5-1 run to force a Matador timeout at 7-3. A Barron kill pulled CSUN within 8-5 but an ensuing 4-0 run by Arizona opened up a 12-5 cushion for the hosts. The Matadors would get within three at 12-9 and again at 13-10 but the Wildcats would eventually pull away for the nine-point win.

SET 3
After hitting .240 in set two, the Matadors were limited to an .040 clip in set three while Arizona hit .667. After a Wildcat service error pulled CSUN even at 1-1, the hosts claimed eight of the next 11 points to open up a 9-3 lead. Arizona would lead by as many as 10 at 18-8 before cruising home with a 25-10 win.

SET 4
The Matadors were unable to stem the tide to open the fourth set as Arizona jumped out to a 9-0 lead. The Wildcats would lead 12-2 before CSUN mounted a furious rally, outscoring Arizona 15-7 to pull within two at 19-17 when Anderson put up a solo block. Two straight points by the Wildcats pushed the lead back to four before CSUN pulled within three at 21-18, 22-19, 23-20 and finally at 24-21 when an Arizona kill ended the match.

UP NEXT
The Matadors open the Big West season next Friday (Sept. 23) at UC Irvine.

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