Junior outside hitter Allison Whitson collected 45 total kills in three matches to earn Most Valuable Player honors at the Aggie Invitational women’s volleyball tournament at the Pavilion on Saturday. She posted 12 kills in UC Davis’ three-set sweep of Air Force in the morning match then added 17 more in a four-set victory over Seattle in Saturday’s nightcap.

The Aggies, among the teams receiving votes in Monday’s national Top 25, improved to 14-1. The record surpasses the 1993 squad’s 12-1 mark for the best start in program history.

Senior middle blockers Katie Denny and Betsy Sedlak also joined Whitson on the all-tournament team. Denny provided 15 kills and .429 hitting in the victory over the Redhawks, while Sedlak matched Whitson’s total of 12 kills in the morning win over the Falcons. Junior libero Caroline Mercado amassed 34 digs on the day — 18 against Air Force and 16 against Seattle.

Sophomore Devon Damelio took only six swings at the net but served up five aces and figured on eight of the Aggies’ 24 blocks in the matchup with the Redhawks.

In Saturday’s early action, UCD dispatched Air Force by scores of 25-15, 25-20, 25-14.

On Friday, Allison Whitson posted 16 kills, a .333 hitting average and 12 digs to lead the Aggies to a 24-26, 25-14, 25-22, 25-23 victory over Hofstra in what was also the UCD’s home opener.

Whitson committed just two hitting errors in 42 attempts for the match. Sedlak also hit at a .333 rate, firing nine kills with just one error and also recorded five blocks, one behind Denny’s 1-5-6 blocks chart. Mercado picked up 17 digs to lead four Aggies in double figures.Woolway tallied 43 assists, 3-for-6 hitting and three block assists.

UCD water polo

Aggie senior Walter Eggert made a splash in his belated season debut with four goals, but UCD lost, 14-10, to No. 6 Pepperdine on Saturday. The 11th-ranked Aggies bounced back later, using four goals from redshirt freshman Chris Richardson to top Vangaurd, 14-4, and earn a spilt of their first day of games at the NorCal Invitational.

Eggert was one of five scorers for UCD (6-3) in the morning loss to the Waves at Delta College’s June Fergusson Pool. Redshirt freshman Trevor Allen, a Davis High graduate, and junior Colin Hicks each added two goals, while Richardson and Aaron Salit chipped in one apiece.

All four of Eggert’s goals against Pepperdine came before the break, to help the Aggies grab a 7-7 tie late in the first half. But the Waves took control of the game with four unanswered tallies after that.

In Saturday’s nightcap against the Lions, UCD overcame an early deficit, then senior Luke Collins hit the go-ahead score on an extra-man opportunity, starting a run of 11 straight that effectively lasted for the remainder of the contest. The Aggies led 7-3 at the half and 8-3 through three quarters.

Besides Richardson’s offense, Collins, Salit and Russell Hampton each scored two goals, while Allen, Bernie Rogers, Kevin Meisel and Jared Clapham netted a goal each for UCD.

Aggie senior goalkeeper Kevin Peat finished the day with 15 saves, stopping eight shots — while allowing just four goals — in the victory over the Lions.

UCD field hockey

The Aggies couldn’t find the net until the final minute of the game on Saturday, and dropped a 3-1 nonconference decision to William and Mary at Miami (Ohio).

Erinne Boyd scored the lone goal for UCD (2-4). The tally was her first of the season as she picked up a rebound off Lydia Brambila’s shot that was saved by Tribe goalie Camilla Hill.

The game was close most of the way, including being scoreless for more than 20 minutes at the start. William and Mary (5-1) got on the scoreboard first when Leah Zamesnik put in an unassisted goal from the top of the circle in the 23rd minute.

Two saves by goalie Lauren Sawvelle over the remaining 15 minutes of the first half and five more during the first nearly 27 minutes of the second helped keep the Aggies within just one score.

However, Chaney Manganello put  the Tribe up by two goals with less than seven minutes remaining with an unassisted score in the 64th minute.

The Tribe outshot UCD 25-9, including putting 13 shots on goal. Sawvelle had seven saves and Kelly Dudek was credited with a pair of defensive saves for the Aggies.

“William and Mary played a better execution game than we did in our respective offensive circles,” said UCD head coach Vianney Campos. “We forced numerous turnovers through speed and tenacity but we came up short once we had the ball in position to score.

“I felt the team worked as a unit (Saturday) and again executed our game plan very well, but without goals we can’t get the ‘w.’ ”

UCD men’s soccer

Northwestern’s Chris Ritter scored in the 12th minute and the Aggies were unable to overcome the early deficit, falling to the Wildcats, 1-0, on Friday in Evanston, Ill.

UCD is now 2-2-2 on the year.

while Northwestern improves to 2-3-1.

In the 12th minute of action, Northwestern’s Lepe Seetane took a free kick and then a scramble to clear the ball ensued. In the midst of the chaos, Ritter took a shot that found the back of the net for what turned out to be the winning goal.

Through the rest of the first half, the Aggies were unable to get a shot on target. Ethan Shawlee’s attempt in the 27th minute was saved by Wildcats’ goalkeeper Tyler Miller, while his header with only four minutes left in the half went wide.

Eddie Manella started the second-half attack for UCD with a shot in the 53rd minute that went over the crossbar. Kevin Schulte’s header attempt at the 65:42 mark was also saved by Miller.

Shawlee and Manella led the Aggies with two shots apiece while goalkeeper Omar Zeenni registered four saves.

UCD women’s soccer

Kiele Argente’s goal in the 72nd minute brought the Aggies to within a goal of Oregon on Friday, but the Ducks were able to hold on for a 2-1 nonconference victory at the OSU Nike Invitational.

UCD had its four-game winning streak snapped with the loss, dropping to 5-2 overall. Lexi Poppoff and Allison Kelly teamed up for the assist on Argente’s goal.

The Aggies outshot the Ducks 13-8, but Oregon (5-2-1) was able to convert its opportunities first. The Ducks broke through in the 40th minute when Kelsey Hones managed to chip a ball over the head of goalkeeper Maria Magana.

The score remained 1-0 until the 66th minute when Oregon’s Maddy Mercier found the back of the net.

UCD applied offensive pressure with 20 minutes remaining with another shot on goal, this time by Kelly, before Argente scored for the second time this season off a deflection.

The Aggies had two late chances to tie the game when Lisa Kemp had a header in the 86th minute and Poppoff also got a shot off.

Argente led UCD with four shots overall, including two on goal. Kemp had a pair of shots and Magna had two saves.

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UCD’s Mary Schroeder (1) and Betsy Sedlak (15) get their hands in front of an Air Force play’s spike during the Aggie Invitational on Saturday. The Aggies won all three matches at the tournament and are now 14-1. Wayne Tilcock/Enterprise photo

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