Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
UC Riverside
Co-MVP Tarbox leads 'Cats to tourney title share
8/31/2013 9:14:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
OGDEN, Utah – The Wildcats wrapped up the first Wildcat Weekend by splitting a pair of matches on Saturday afternoon, earning a share of the tournament championship in the process.
Fueled by a school-record 42 digs from junior libero McKay Tarbox, the Weber State University women's volleyball team defeated UC Riverside 20-25, 25-19, 25-13, 26-28, 15-11 during its first match of the day, but then fell 25-23, 20-25, 25-22, 25-14 in the tournament finale to Texas Tech.
The Wildcats and Red Raiders each finished Wildcat Weekend at 3-1 and shared tournament co-champions honors.
Tarbox and Texas Tech's Breeann David were named tournament co-Most Valuable Players, while Weber State's Rebecca Fuchs and Audrey Biggs were named to the all-tournament team.
Tarbox recorded 98 digs, averaging 5.76 per set, during the Wildcats four matches.
Fuchs recorded 54 kills, averaging 3.18 per set, while Biggs had 50, an average of 2.94 per set.
Against the Highlanders, Fuchs recorded a career-high 22 kills to provide the matching offense to Tarbox's record-setting defensive match.
Biggs added 11 kills, while freshman middle blocker Megan Bean had 10 blocks and sophomore setter Whitney Hunt had a career-high 44 assists and 10 digs for her first career double-double. Hunt also had five blocks, including two solo, as WSU recorded 18 team blocks.
The win pushed Weber State to 3-0, matching its best start to a season since 1998, when the Wildcats also started 3-0.
After falling behind 0-1 in the match, WSU rallied to win the second set and then decisively took the third set to take a 2-1 lead. The Wildcats held a 22-19 advantage in the fourth set and appeared poised to wrap up the victory, but UC Riverside rallied to level the match and send it to a decisive fifth set.
Weber State only trailed once in the final set (6-7), but scored four straight points to take 10-7 led and then captured the set on a service error by the Highlanders.
In the finale against the Red Raiders, Fuchs had 16 kills and 10 digs for her first double-double of the season, while Biggs had 12 kills and a career-high seven blocks.
Hunt had her second straight 40 assist match and also added a career-high 15 digs for her second straight double-double, while Tarbox had 17 digs and freshman Katie Harvey had seven blocks for the Wildcats, who finished with 12.5 team blocks.
Texas Tech pulled away from a 23-23 tie to take the first set by two points, with Weber State leveling it at 1-1 with a five-point second set win.
The Wildcats looked poised to take a 2-1 lead with a 20-16 lead, but the Red Raiders rallied to take the set 25-22, and then closed it out by 11 in the fourth.
Weber State will be back in action next weekend, facing four matches at the Nevada Tournament in Reno, Nev., beginning on Friday with Grand Canyon.
Texas Tech 3, Grand Canyon 1
Breeann David had 21 kills and was one of four Red Raiders to reach double figures kills as Texas Tech won its second straight match.
TTU won the first two sets, with the Antelopes taking third, before the Red Raiders finished out in four.
Hayleigh Friemoth led Grand Canyon with 11 kills.
Seattle 3, UC Riverside 0
Martina Samadan had 15 kills and hit .583 and Iris Ivanis added 11 kills and hit .524 as the Redhawks (2-1) earned third-place honors at Wildcat Weekend by topping the Highlanders.
Ashley Cox had 16 kills to lead UC Riverside (0-3).
