Cats Sweep Day One of Wildcat Classic

TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona opened the Wildcat Classic with a sweep of UC Riverside. Puk Stubbe hit a career best .450 and the defense held Highlanders to a .107 hitting percentage. On Friday night, the Wildcats swept San Diego State, with Maldonado Diaz and Weidt tallying 10 kills each.  
 
Game 1 vs. UC Riverside
Set 1 | Arizona - 25, UC Riverside - 11
The Wildcats started strong, hitting .452 in the first set. Sofia Maldonado Diaz lead the Cats with five kills followed by Puk Stubbe with four kills. Sophomore Emery Herman reached 1,000 career assists in the first set, the sixth-fastest Wildcat to reach 1,000 assists.
 
Set 2 | Arizona - 25, UC Riverside - 18
Jaelyn Hodge found her rhythm in the second set, with five kills and a block solo. Herman served two aces and had a kill. Dilara Gedikoglu and Stubbe both had two kills for the Cats. Arizona's defense held UC Riverside to a .070 hitting percentage.
 
Set 3 | Arizona - 25, UC Riverside - 22
Arizona won the third set, 25-22, to sweep the Highlanders. Hodge had five kills, and Maldonado Diaz and Stubbe each had four kills. Sophomore Jaleesa Carrocio served an ace for the Wildcats to conclude the sweep.
 
Match Leaders
Kills: Jaelyn Hodge - 12
Assists: Emery Herman - 31
Aces: Emery Herman - 3
Digs: Kamaile Hiapo - 19
 
Game 2 vs. San Diego State
Set 1 | Arizona - 25, San Diego State - 20
The Wildcats took the first set over the Aztecs, 25-20. Merle Weidt led Arizona with four kills, followed by Jaelyn Hodge and Sofia Maldonado Diaz with three kills each. Maldonado Diaz and Weidt combined for two block assists to help keep San Diego State to nine kills in Set 1.
 
Set 2 | Arizona - 25, San Diego State - 22
Arizona took the 2-0 lead on the Aztecs, winning 25-22 in Set 2. Hodge, Maldonado Diaz, Puk Stubbe, and Weidt each had four kills in the second set, with Stubbe hitting .800. Hodge served three aces, including back-to-back aces for the Cats.
 
Set 3 | Arizona - 25, San Diego State - 11
Arizona dominated in the third set to sweep San Diego State. The Wildcats hit .371 and the defense held the Aztecs to a -.036 hitting percentage. Maldonado Diaz led the attack for the Cats with five kills and two aces. Hodge and Weidt both had two block assists, and Zyonna Fellows had a pair of blocks to help Arizona win the match.
 
Match Leaders
Kills: Sofia Maldonado Diaz & Merle Weidt - 10
Assists: Emery Herman - 36
Aces: Jaelyn Hodge - 3
Digs: Kamaile Hiapo & Jaelyn Hodge - 7
Blocks: Merle Weidt - 5
 
Arizona will host Texas Southern in the Wildcat Classic Finale on Saturday, September 18 at 1:30 p.m. MST in McKale Center.