Sept. 14, 2008
Box Score
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The No. 4-ranked California volleyball team (7-1, 0-0 Pac-10) concluded play today at the 2008 Diet Coke Classic Volleyball Tournament with a 3-1 (25-19, 16-25, 25-16, 25-21) win over No. 16 Cal Poly (5-4, 0-0 Big West) at the Sports Pavilion in Minneapolis, Minn. The Golden Bears were buoyed by strong performances from their outside hitters as they combined for 44 of Cal's 57 kills. Junior All-American outside hitter Hana Cutura led the way with 15 kills (7e, 41att, .195) and added six digs. Senior outside Am'ra Solomon made a big splash, coming up with a season-highs in kills (11) and attacks (17) while registering only one error (.588).
Freshman outside hitter Tarah Murrey had another strong performance and put up nine kills (2e, 17att, .412) including several from the back row. Senior outside hitter/middle hitter Morgan Beck also logged nine kills (5e, 22att, .182) nearly getting a double-double to go with her season-high 10 digs. Freshman middle hitter Shannon Hawari went her second match in a row without committing an attack error and came up with four kills on six attacks (.667). Junior defensive specialist/libero Kristen Kathan led all players with 23 digs today. As a team, the Bears completed the match with a .333 attack percentage and 57 kills, the second-highest output of the season.
Murrey's kill off a cross-court set from sophomore setter Carli Lloyd gave the Bears a 5-4 lead in the fourth set and sent Cal off on a run through which it would never trail. Lloyd would finish with 49 assists, her second-highest assist mark of the season. Murrey had three more kills in that stretch to give Cal an 11-7 lead. A block-assist from Wiley and Lloyd forced a Cal Poly timeout with the Bears leading 20-15. Coming out of the break, the Mustangs fought to within two points at 21-19 before Cutura put a kill off a block attempt. Cutura put another kill-shot off a Mustang player to give the Bears set-point at 24-21 before Beck took a set from Lloyd to close out the match.
In the third set, both teams found themselves tied on eight occasions before the Bears pulled out to a two-point 10-8 advantage thanks to a cross-court kill from Cutura and then a shot put off the Cal Poly block by Solomon. Two Cutura service aces and a block assist from Hawari and junior middle hitter Mindi Wiley gave the Bears a 14-9 lead. Cal created a seven-point gash when Solomon notched her 11th kill of the match. The Bears had another seven-point lead at 21-14 when Beck saved a ball near the Cal bench that would turn into an overplayed ball by the Mustangs. Hawari got up and put the ball right back in the Cal Poly court for the Cal point. A Kathan service ace put the Bears at set point before Murrey received a cross-court set from Lloyd to put a kill down, claiming the third set for the Bears. Cal hit .400 in the third, getting 15 kills on 30 attacks (3e).
The Mustangs returned to the court with a new urgency in the second set and came up with a 5-1 lead early on. In a set riddled with errors, the Bears capitalized on the some sloppy play to pull the score into a tie at five points all. Wiley sent a shot into the Cal Poly block to give the Mustangs the 9-8 lead and from that point, the Mustangs never trailed again. Solomon registered four kills to lead the Bears including one off an overpass that came from her own attack but her hot hand was not enough as the Mustangs put up 5.5 total team blocks in the second stanza and held Cal to a .000 attack percentage (9k, 9e, 32att). Poly racked up 12 kills (4e) on 28 attacks and hit .286.
After jumping out to a 5-0 lead, the Bears never trailed in the first set, getting in front by as many as six at 23-17. Even with the Mustangs making a push mid-set, Cal regrouped to get a kill from Solomon and a service ace from Kathan to stretch its lead back to four at 19-15. Lloyd and Wiley teamed up for a block on the right side of the net to give Cal the first set-point of the match. Miscommunication by the Mustangs caused an errant attack to go long of the baseline, giving the Bears a 1-0 set lead. The Bears maintained a strong offensive presence by notching 15 kills (6e, 35att) to hit .257; Cutura and Solomon each had four kills apiece in the set to lead the Bears.
The Bears are on the road again next weekend to face Central Connecticut State, San Francisco, and host Cal State Fullerton in the 2008 Crowne Plaza Volleyball Classic in Fullerton, Calif. at CSUF's Titan Gym. Cal will open the tournament with a 4:30 p.m. match Friday, Sept. 19 against Central Connecticut State and then play two matches on Saturday, Sept. 20; the first at 10 a.m. against San Francisco and then at 7 p.m. against the Titans. Please check CalBears.com for up-to-date stats and information.
2008 Diet Coke Classic All-Tournament Team
Lauren Gibbemeyer - Minnesota, Sophomore Middle Blocker - Most Valuable Player
Kylie Atherstone - Cal Poly, Senior Opposite Hitter
Hana Cutura - California, Junior Outside Hitter
Brook Dieter - Minnesota, Sophomore Outside Hitter
Carli Lloyd - California, Sophomore Setter
Kellie Sciacca - Notre Dame, Sophomore Middle Blocker
Christine Tan - Minnesota, Junior Defensive Specialist/Libero
