California State University at Northridge
2-12,0-3Big West
UC Riverside
3-12,2-1Big West
CSUN Falls to UC Riverside in Big West Home Opener
9/29/2023 9:15:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – Sophomore Leah Miller put down a team-high 14 kills but the visiting UC Riverside Highlanders handed the Matadors a 3-2 loss in CSUN's Big West home opener Friday night at Premier America Credit Union Arena.
Miller led CSUN with kills on 37 swings to hit .270 while Perri Starkey posted her second double-double of the season with 12 kills (.086) and 18 digs. Carisa Barron added 25 assists and nine kills (.029) and Taylor Hunter chipped in eight kills (.080) and three blocks. Redshirt freshman Iye Okolo posted a season-high 10 blocks including four solo stuffs.
Neither team hit particularly well in match as Riverside posted a .134 clip to CSUN's .110. The Matadors had a 14-12 advantage in blocks, a 70-69 advantage in digs and a 5-4 edge in aces.
SET 1: CSUN 25, UCR 19
The Matadors got off to a good start, out-hitting UCR .205 to .048 in the opening set. Holding a 13-10 lead. CSUN scored three straight to open up a six-point cushion following a Okolo solo block. A Highlander hitting error and a Starkey ace pushed the Matador lead to 19-11 and CSUN would hold off a late UCR rally for the 25-19 win.
Set One ?
— CSUN Women's Volleyball (@CSUNWVB) September 30, 2023
Carisa Barron gets her third kill to clinch it.#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/EzacHLFTaJ
SET 2: UCR 25, CSUN 23
The second set featured nine ties as CSUN jumped out to a 5-0 lead. The Matadors led until UCR rallied for an 11-10 lead. The Highlanders would extend the lead to 16-11 before CSUN claimed six of the next seven to pull even at 17-17. The score remained tied at 23-23 when UCR used a block and a kill to pull out the 25-23 win.
SET 3: UCR 25, CSUN 19
The two teams played even through six early ties, the last at 11-11, when UCR scored five straight to lead 16-11. The Highlander lead grew to seven at 19-12 before CSUN put together a 7-1 run to pull within 20-19. But UCR rebounded to claim the final five points in a 25-19 win.
SET 4: CSUN 25, UCR 20
CSUN led 4-2 early on before the Highlanders went on a 6-2 run to take an 8-6 lead. Down 12-9, the Matadors scored three straight to tie the score at 12-12. Still tied at 14-14, CSUN engineered a 6-1 run to open up a 20-15 lead on a Hunter kill. The Matadors would lead by as many as seven before Barron's kill on set point set the match to a fifth set.
We're going to set 5!
— CSUN Women's Volleyball (@CSUNWVB) September 30, 2023
A Barron spike seals the 25-20 win. #GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/IX7aU4Xcez
SET 5: UCR 15, CSUN 9
Playing a fifth set for the eighth time in 14 matches this season, the Matadors were out-hit .059 to -.167 in the final frame. CSUN rallied back from a 4-1 deficit to knot the score at 5-5 following a co-block by Starkey and Okolo. The Matadors took their only lead at 9-8 on a UCR setting error before the visitors claimed the final six points in a 15-9 win.
ACCORDING TO COACH JOHN PRICE
"I told the team there's really nothing I can say about this match. I just told them that we have a quick turnaround and you have to get ready to play again tomorrow."
NOTES
- CSUN libero Kelsey Knudsen finished one dig behind Starkey with 17, her 11th match with double figures in digs this season. Freshman Paige Sentes also added 14 digs for the Matadors.
- With the win, UC Riverside improves to 23-62 all-time against CSUN and picks up just its sixth win in 27 matches all-time in Northridge.
UP NEXT
CSUN continues a four-match homestand on Saturday as the Matadors welcome UC Davis to Premier America Credit Union Arena at 3 p.m. The match will stream on ESPN+.
#GoMatadors
