Nov. 19, 2005
Irvine, Calif. - The Pacific Tigers women's Volleyball delivered head coach Jayne McHugh her 100th career victory as the Tigers defeated UC Irvine, 3-2, on Saturday, Nov. 19.
With the win, Pacific moved to 16-12 on the season and 8-6 in the Big West Conference. UC Irvine, meanwhile, fell to 10-19 overall and 3-11 in conference play.
Game scores for the match were, 30-26, 30-26, 25-30, 23-30, 15-9
Pacific got off to a fast start in the fifth game as the Tigers scored seven of the first ten points to take a 7-3 lead. Senior Ashley Groothuis (Aurora, Neb.) led the charge for the Tigers, with three of her team-high 18 kills during the run. UC Irvine responded with three straight points to pull within one point. Once again it was Groothuis with a kill, followed by two service aces on the next three points as the Tigers built an 11-7 lead. Pacific went on to take the fifth game, 15-9, to claim the match.
Pacific took each of the first two games by the score of 30-26. In the first game the Tigers dominated from above the net as Pacific hit a match-high .432, with 20 kills and four errors on 37 attempts. Sophomore Kara Uhl (Cypress, Calif.) slammed home five kills in the game to lead the Tigers.
Game two saw Pacific battle back from an early 11-4 deficit to win 30-26. Down 11-4, the Tigers scored seven of the next eight points to pull within one point at 12-11. Uhl continued to lead the way for the Tigers as she had two kills for Pacific during the run. Kara finished the second game with 11 kills and just two errors.
The Anteaters started game three just as they had in the second game, forcing the Tigers into a 10-5 deficit. This time, however, Pacific was unable to claw back into the game as UC Irvine won, 30-25.
UC Irvine's early success continued in game four as the Anteaters built a 9-0 lead and coasted to a 30-23 win, forcing a fifth game.
Groothuis finished the game with 18 kills and 18 digs for her 14th double-double of the season. Uhl notched her 10th double-double with 14 kills and 14 digs. Two other Tigers reached double figures in kills as senior Sidney Bennett (Louisville, Ky.) finished with 12 kills and senior Susan Drollinger (Lake Arrowhead, Calif.) had 11 kills.
UC Irvine was led by a match-high 21 kills from Amanda Vazquez.
Pacific will be back in action on Friday, Nov. 25 as the Tigers host the Bankers Classic in the Alex G. Spanos Center. The first game of the two day tournament will feature Ohio and Saint Mary's at 5 p.m., while the Tigers face Sacramento State at 7 p.m.