BERKELEY, Calif. -- Senior setter
Julia Patterson became the seventh setter in Arizona history to cross the 3,000 career assist mark, doing so in the third set of Arizona's straight-set loss to No. 16 California on Sunday afternoon (25-23, 25-19, 25-20).
Patterson, who entered the match with 2,975 career assists, had 26 on Sunday, to go along with eight digs, five kills and block in the match. The senior moved into seventh place in UA history in career assists this week and becomes just the seventh player in UA history to reach the milestone. She is now 516 assists shy of Meather McCormack (1989-92) for sixth place in Wildcat history.
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The Wildcats (11-7, 1-5 Pac-12) hung tough with 16th-ranked California, holding a lead in every set, but were unable to hang on against the 15-1 (5-1) Bears.
Arizona's defense was solid in the match, holding the Pac-12's top offense (.309 team hitting percentage entering the week) to just 34 kills on .223 hitting. The Wildcats had more kills than the Golden Bears (38-34), but hit just .133 in the match. Arizona had 23 attack errors and 11 service errors in the loss.
The shorthanded Wildcats got one of their injured players back on Sunday with the return of defensive specialist
Kamaile Hiapo, who was back in the lineup after missing three matches with a hamstring injury. Hiapo had three digs and an ace in her return. Arizona remains without starting middle blocker
Shardonee Hayes as well as libero
Makenna Martin and defensive specialist
Erin Williamson.
Paige Whipple led the Wildcats with 13 kills, seven of which came in a monster third set for the junior. Whipple added five digs and an ace in the match.Â
Arizona is in the midst of a difficult four-game road trip that includes matches against four ranked foes away from McKale Center. Arizona travels to Washington State (Friday) and Washington (Sunday) next week.
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