LA JOLLA, Calif. – Despite a strong first set that saw Gonzaga volleyball lead through its entirety, UC San Diego rattled off three straight set wins to finish off a 3-1 victory that concluded the UC San Diego Invitational on Sunday inside LionTree Arena. The Zags and Tritons met for just the second time in program history, exactly one year after UCSD defeated GU in four sets last season in Spokane.
 
Thanks to early kills from Maggie Rickert and Fallon Thompson, Gonzaga (1-2) was off to a quick 4-0 start in the first. UC San Diego (3-0) applied pressure throughout the set, but could not bring the score even as GU would hang on for the 25-20 win, capped off by Raechelle Dykstra's set-leading third kill.
 
UCSD make quick work in the second set to bring the score to 1-1, posting a 25-9 win that saw an 11-0 Triton run put it out of reach for Gonzaga halfway through. Ava McInnes led UC San Diego with seven kills in the set.
 
Despite holding McInnes to just a single kill in the third, Gonzaga could not overcome a 10-4 start by UC San Diego, eventually falling 25-19. A better start in the fourth put the Zags up 5-2, but a quick 4-0 Triton run put the tournament host back in front for good. Another 25-19 victory sealed the match for UC San Diego as they concluded their weekend 3-0, matching their best start since 2015.
 
Rickert led all GU hitters with nine kills, while the trio of Hayley Ogden, Dykstra, and Thompson each collected eight kills. 25 total attack errors by the Zags proved costly despite 21 from UCSD. Nia Damuni picked up her second straight double-double after she tallied 31 assists and 11 digs on Sunday. On the defensive side, Ogden recorded a pair of solo blocks to go with five block assists in the loss.
 
UP NEXT
Gonzaga will open their 2024 home slate on Friday as they welcome Utah Tech and Cal State Fullerton to the Martin Centre. GU's first match is set for Friday night at 6pm against Utah Tech and will be streamed on ESPN+. Live stats will be available at www.GoZags.com.