Men’s Basketball (16-4):
UC Davis vs. UCSB (W, 70-64)
UC Davis vs. Cal Poly (W, 81-78)
After a three-game road trip, the Aggies returned to UC Davis to face off against two Big West opponents. The Aggies started the homestand off against UC Santa Barbara, a team playing without its star forward Alan Williams. The Aggies were without senior forward Josh Ritchart, out with a bruised shoulder. With Ritchart out, sophomore forward Neil Monson stepped up and contributed 16 points while senior guard Corey Hawkins poured in 28 points, including six threes. The team led by two at halftime before pulling out a close six-point victory.
Once again featured on ESPN, the Aggies faced Cal Poly on Saturday. Just like the last ESPN game this season, this one was a nail-biter. The Aggies fell behind by 10 at halftime before making a comeback and sending the game into overtime on a Ritchart three. There the Aggies were dominant offensively, making eight out of nine shots to win by three. Ritchart led the team with 24 points on 13 shots.
Women’s Basketball (9-10):
UC Davis @ Cal Poly (L, 64-72)
UC Davis @ UCSB (W, 60-54)
UC Davis women’s basketball hit the road for two games, coming away with one win and one loss. Against Cal Poly, the team struggled in the first half and went into the break with a nine-point deficit. While the Aggies upped their play in the second, it wasn’t enough. Senior forward Sydnee Fipps finished with a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds. The team played a close game until the end, but could not close it out offensively.
The second game of the trip was all about senior guard Kelsey Harris, who finished with 19 points on five threes. Junior forward Alyson Doherty added 15 points and nine rebounds. The team will return to UC Davis on Thursday to face CSU Northridge.
Women’s Gymnastics (4-7):
UC Davis @ Utah State, with Boise State (3rd, 193.550)
Facing off against Boise State for the second time this season, the Aggies finished in third place in their triangular meet. Junior Stephanie Stamates was the only Aggie to win an event, finishing first in the floor exercise. She also tied for third in the balance beam.
The Aggies will return home for two straight matches, with George Washington on Sunday coming up first.
Swimming & Diving (5-2):
UC Davis vs. University of Pacific
In the last meet of the season, the Aggies dominated visiting University of Pacific by a score of 158-115. Senior Samantha Shellem was phenomenal on senior’s day, winning two freestyle events and the 200-yard medley. Three other Aggies also added two wins apiece while junior diver Audrey DeNeffe finished first in the 1-meter diving.
The Aggies now have the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships to prepare for. The end of the season tournament takes place between Feb. 18 and 21.
Men’s Tennis (5-2):
UC Davis @ Santa Clara University (W, 4-3)
Visiting Santa Clara University after two straight victories, the Aggies were able to score a victory over the No. 52 team in the country. The top three UC Davis singles players lost, but clinched wins in spots 4-6 while sweeping doubles play. Sophomore Jesse Ross, who transferred to UC Davis from Santa Clara, won the clinching match.
The Aggies will return to UC Davis to play a doubleheader on Sunday against Sonoma State and Nevada.
Track and Field:
UW Invitational
Track and Field season is officially here as the Aggies travelled to Seattle to take part in the UW Invitational. On the first day, senior sprinter Ashley Marshall won the 200-meter with a 24.60 second finish.
Several UC Davis athletes made their names known on the second day of competition. Marshall added another victory, finishing in first in the 60-meter. Senior Raquel Lambdin finished eighth in the mile while senior Katie Barber scored a sixth-place finish in the high jump. The indoor track season runs until March 15 while the outdoor season begins in late February.
Women’s Tennis (2-4):
UC Davis @ Sac. State (L, 1-6)
UC Davis vs. University of Pacific (L, 3-4)
Facing off in the Causeway Classic, the Aggies were dominated by their local rivals, capturing only a single point. The Aggies were able to score a doubles victory before being swept in singles play, only able to win a single set.
The team fared better against University of Pacific at home, losing a close match 3-4. The teams were all tied up at three points apiece before freshman Lani-Rae Green fell in her second-seeded match. Green had already played that day, winning a doubles match. The Aggies will play their next five competitions on the road before returning home.
Women’s Water Polo (2-4):
Stanford Invitational (Stanford, San Jose State, UC Irvine, and Indiana)
The Aggies travelled to the Bay Area to take part in the Stanford Invitational, facing four ranked opponents in two days. Against No. 1 Stanford, the Aggies fell behind 0-6 in the first quarter and were unable to make up the deficit. Four UC Davis players scored goals and the team lost 4-16. Against No. 7 San Jose State, the Aggies were able to play a slightly tighter game and finished 6-15. The team played a close first half before being outscored 1-6 in the third quarter.
On the second day of the tournament, UC Davis fell early to No. 6 UC Irvine 6-13, including another 1-6 quarter. Later in the day, however, the Aggies were able to score their lone victory of the weekend over No. 13 Indiana. Sophomore Carly Tocchini and junior Allyson Hansen scored three goals apiece while their defense allowed only five goals total.
The team will face-off in the Triton Invitational before returning home for the Davis Challenge on Feb. 13.
Graphic by The California Aggie Graphics Team
