Sept. 3, 2010
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SAN DIEGO - The No. 11-ranked California volleyball team (3-0) defeated Gardner-Webb (1-4) in three sets (25-9, 25-8, 25-6) on Friday, Sept. 3, in the first match of the 2010 USD Tournament at the Jenny Craig Pavilion. The Golden Bears attacked at a season-high .576 attack percentage (42k, 4e, 66att) while holding the Runnin' Bulldogs to a negative .139 attack rate (14k, 25e, 79att).
Junior outside hitter Tarah Murrey led all players with 12 kills (1e, 14att, .786) and 11 digs to register her second double-double of the year. She also added a team-high four blocks; three solo. Sophomore middle hitters Correy Johnson (6k, 1e, 9att, .556) and Kat Brown (6k, 0e, 9att, .667) each added six kills and attacked with great efficiency. Freshman outside hitter Lauren Loerch recorded six kills of her own (1e, 12att, .417) and had a solo block as well. Sophomore middle hitter Tia Gaffen got in on three blocks and tacked on five kills (0e, 6att, .833).
The Bears had the Runnin' Bulldogs on the run as they built a 20-5 first-set lead that was capped on a block by senior setter Carli Lloyd and Gaffen. Gardner-Webb fought back to earn a couple of points, but Cal put a stop to the Bulldog comeback when Loerch went cross-court for a kill to earn the 25-9 win. The Bears registered just one error in the opening stanza and logged an incredible .722 attack percentage on 18 swings (14k, 1e). The Bulldogs scored the other eight points on kills, but were hampered by eight errors as they drew a .000 attack rate (26att).
Cal took a 2-0 lead in the match with a 25-8 win in the second set as it held Gardner-Webb to a negative .174 attack rate and just three kills (7e, 23att). The Bears put up another efficient offensive performance with 16 kills on 24 attacks (1e) to log a .625 attack rate. Murrey logged her ninth kill of the night on an overplayed ball to give Cal set point at 24-8 before Hawari and Johnson teamed up for a block to end the second set.
The Runnin' Bulldogs fell behind by ten points, 12-2, to open the third set as Gaffen logged a service ace. The Bears continued to push and went up, 20-3, as Loerch took a bump set from senior defensive specialist Meagan Schmitt. Sophomore setter Elly Barrett and Gaffen went up together to earn the block to give the Bears set-point. Then, Murrey got up and logged her 12th kill of the night to close out the sweep for the Bears. Cal continued to attack with efficiency with Barrett at setter as the team posted a .417 attack rate on 24 attacks (12k, 2e). Cal's block and Gardner-Webb's unforced errors left the Bulldogs with a negative .233 attack percentage (3k, 10e, 30att) in the final set.
Gardner-Webb and No. 25 San Diego (1-2) meet in a noon PT match on Saturday (Sept. 4) before Cal and USD close tournament play with a 7 p.m. bout at the Jenny Craig Pavilion. Live stats and video are available for both matches via links on www.usdtoreros.com and www.calbears.com.
