ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The UCSB women’s volleyball team split two matches on the final day of the MCM Elegante Lobo Classic, defeating Delaware in three straight before falling to New Mexico in the finale, three games to two.
UCSB fell just shy of catching the tournament’s victory, falling in game five 15-13. UCSB finished the two-day tournament with two victories as junior Dana Vargas and senior Rebecca Saraceno were named to the all-tournament team.
Facing Delaware for the first time in school history, the Gauchos defeated the Blue Hens 25-12, 25-16, 25-12 as Saraceno and Schmidt each tallied double-digit kills, notching 11 and 10, respectively. Charlene DeHoog had seven kills and freshman Leah Sully added eight kills. Saraceno added 11 digs while Sully had six others.
UCSB WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL TEAM PAGE
In Saturday’s final against the Lobos, the Gauchos fell 17-25, 25-19, 18-25, 25-19, 13-15.
Sully and Saraceno each had a team-best 16 kills while Vargas passed out 48 assists. Chelsey Lowe had a team-best 14 digs while Saraceno had 13 and Sully added 10. Lily Lopez led the team with six block assists.
UCSB and New Mexico were tied 12-12 in the fifth game before Allison Buck, who was named to the All-Tournament team notched a kill and a service ace to make it 14-12.
In the first match, Vargas added 37 assists as UCSB rolled through the Blue Hens. In the first game DeHoog had four kills, Sully added three while Saraceno had two kills to go with her two aces.
Schmidt and Saraceno had four kills apiece in the second game while Saraceno had five kills and Kasey Kipp had three kills.
Against New Mexico, Saraceno led the way in the first two games, tallying nine kills before Lopez and Sully had four kills each in the fourth, tying game.
2009 MCM Elegante Lobo Classic All-Tournament Team
MVP – Anna Lehne, New Mexico
Allison Buck, New Mexico
Jade Michaelsen, New Mexico
Rebecca Saraceno, UCSB
Dana Vargas, UCSB
Stephanie Barry, Delaware
Whitney Phillips, Portland State
