NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Twenty-fourth-ranked Arizona volleyball split the action on day one of the 2017 season. In a pair of matches vs. respective preseason conference favorites, the Cats defeated East Tennessee State (24-26, 25-19, 25-23, 25-20) before falling to host Lipscomb (13-25, 29-31, 25-20, 22-25).
"We're still trying to figure some things out," said Arizona head coach
Dave Rubio. "I thought we did some good things today. The match vs. Lipscomb was a good solid match, it was just a bad matchup for where we are and where they are. I thought we battled well and there were a lot of good things that came out of it.
UA wraps up the LUV Invitational on Sunday at 10 a.m. MST vs. Middle Tennessee.
MATCH 1: #24 ARIZONA 3, EAST TENNESSEE STATE 1 (24-26, 25-19, 25-23, 25-20)
After dropping the first set of the 2017 season, the Arizona volleyball team responded by taking the next three sets to earn a victory over East Tennessee State in the first match of the 2017 season. UA defeated ETSU in four sets (24-26, 25-19, 25-23, 25-20).
While breaking in a host of newcomers, it was the Wildcat veterans that did the heavy lifting for UA. Junior outside hitter
Kendra Dahlke, who finished fourth in the Pac-12 in kills a season ago, led all players with 17 kills on .227 hitting. She added 12 digs for her 11th career double-double. Senior middle blocker
Jade Turner posted career-highs in kills (8) and blocks (5) in her first career start. Junior outside hitter
Tyler Spriggs added eight kills on .231 hitting to go along with a career-most five blocks.
In her first start, taking over for 2016 Pac-12 Setter of the Year
Penina Snuka, UA's top all-time digging setter, sophomore
Julia Patterson did her best Snuka impression. Patterson led the team with 16 digs to go along with 40 assists, good for her first career double-double.
Arizona dominated the battle at the net, outblocking ETSU 12-4 in the match. Three Wildcats, Turner, Spriggs and
McKenzie Jacobson notched more blocks individually than ETSU had as a team. The Bucs posted an impressive eight aces in the match; UA had five, four of which were from
Kimberly Gutierrez.
Arizona struggled with errors in the opening set, committing five attack errors and four service errors, and dropped the opening set of the season, 26-24. ETSU controlled much of the first set with an efficient offense - the Bucs hit .375 - and led 23-20 looking to close out UA. The Wildcats went on a 4-0 run to get to set point, but the Bucs scored the final three points to take the opener, 26-24.
Kendra Dahlke led all scorers with seven kills.
The Cats fought back in the second set with a convincing 25-19 victory.
Kimberly Gutierrez had three aces in the frame, helping UA to victory. The Cats led throughout the set, and ended the game on a 4-1 run to close it out.
Much like the first set, it was a blistering start to the third set for both offenses. While hitting nearly .700, ETSU climbed out to a 16-13 lead. The Wildcats would score eight of the next nine to grab a 21-17 lead and never look back. The Cats won the third set 25-23 to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
The Cats closed out the match with a 25-20 victory in the fourth set. Arizona held ETSU to a -.088 hitting percentage, partially thanks to four blocks in the set.
MATCH 2: LIPSCOMB 3, #24 ARIZONA 1 (25-13, 31-29, 20-25, 22-25)
Arizona had no answer for Carlyle Nusbaum, the preseason ASUN Player of the Year, who led Lipscomb to a four-set victory over 24th-ranked Arizona (25-13, 31-29, 20-25, 22-25).
Carlyle finished with 25 kills on 46 swings (.413 hitting) and added an ace, two blocks and eight digs. The rest of the Bisons roster combined for 33 kills on .205 hitting.
UA struggled mightily in the first set and were never able to fully recover despite a hearty battle in the second set, a decisive victory in the third and a late lead in the fourth.
Kendra Dahlke (14 kills),
Paige Whipple (12 kills, .333 hitting, 13 digs) and
Katie Smoot (9 kills, .412 hitting) led the way for UA while
Devyn Cross (.417 hitting) and
McKenzie Jacobson (.500 hitting) provided seven kills each on efficient nights. Cross led UA with six blocks.
Julia Patterson notched her second straight double-double with 47 assists and 11 digs to go along with a pair of service aces and three blocks.
Lipscomb dominated the first set 25-13, holding the Wildcats to a negative hitting percentage in the opening frame.
The Bisons outlasted UA in a marathon of a second set, 31-29. Arizona failed to convert four set points and suffered a 2-0 deficit as a result.
Arizona responded strong in the third set, opening the frame on a 5-0 run and never looking back. Whipple and Dahlke led the offensive attack for UA, which helped force a fourth set with a 25-20 victory.
The fourth set was a tight one. UA led late, 19-18, before Lipscomb surged to the finish line to win the set 25-22 and the match 3-1.
