TUCSON, Ariz. -- Arizona swept Eastern Kentucky (25-17, 25-19, 29-27) and Grand Canyon (25-22, 25-10, 25-9) on the opening day of the Cactus Classic.
 
UA combined for 23 blocks in the two matches and held both opponents under .100 for the match.
 
"I think we can be overwhelming physically," said Rubio. "We are a very talented team. Athletically we're very good. We blocked well today, and I think that we affected them in that way."
 
The Wildcats improved to 4-1 with the two victories. UA will close out the Cactus Classic on Saturday vs. undefeated Radford at 1 p.m. MST in McKale.
 
Match 1: Arizona 3, Eastern Kentucky 0
 
Arizona opened the Cactus Classic with a 3-0 sweep over Eastern Kentucky (25-17, 25-19, 29-27). Tyler Spriggs was huge off the bench for the Cats, supplying 17 kills on .400 hitting for UA.
 
Julia Patterson had 43 assists and came one dig shy of her third double-double of the year.
 
UA limited EKU to an .045 hitting percentage thanks to 11 blocks. Devyn Cross was in on five blocks for the Cats. She added seven kills on .455 hitting.
 
In an opening-set 25-17 victory, the Cats held Eastern Kentucky to a -.029 hitting percentage, putting down four blocks and posting 20 digs in the process. Elizabeth Shelton and Tyler Spriggs led UA with four kills apiece.
 
In the second, Spriggs converted on all seven of her opportunities, leading UA back from an early deficit. The Cats ended the set on a 13-5 run to take the set, 25-19.
 
Eastern Kentucky led the Wildcats early in the third set, opening up a 16-11 lead to force UA to use both timeouts. The Cats stormed back, though, and defeated EKU 29-27 to win the match.
 
Match 2: Arizona 3, Grand Canyon 0
 
The Wildcats swept Grand Canyon to sweep day 1 of the Cactus Classic, downing the Antelopes from the north 25-22, 25-19, 25-9 in front of 1,990 fans at McKale Center on Friday night. 
 
UA had 12 blocks in the three sets, holding GCU to .053 hitting for the match. UA, meanwhile, hit .290 in a very balanced offensive attack. Six Wildcats had five-or-more kills in the three-set affair, led by Paige Whipple's nine on just 19 swings.
 
Kendra Dahlke was also very solid on the night with seven kills and a team-high 11 digs. 
 
"Kendra was very good tonight," said Rubio. "She's been a little up and down and she's the upperclassman who needs to steady us out. If she can steady us out like she did tonight, then it will make life a lot easier for us. The upperclassmen have to be the ones that have enough experience and training to steady us out. If Kendra does that, then we'll be better faster. She was terrific tonight. It's going to take her some time to get used to the role that she's in, but the baton has been handed to her."
 
Arizona hit just .100 in the opening set, but it was significantly better than the .049 clip it held Grand Canyon to as the Cats used their suffocating defense to win a close first set, 25-22. Arizona had five blocks and 21 digs in the opening frame.
 
Grand Canyon led for the majority of the second set, but UA was just too much to handle at the end, with Paige Whipple (6-2-11, .364) and Kendra Dahlke (4-0-8, .500) leading the way in the 25-18 victory.
 
In the third, it was all Arizona. The Wildcats defeated GCU 25-9, outhitting the Antelopes .600 to .045. Katie Smoot (6), Jade Turner (4) and Devyn Cross (3) combined for 13 kills on 15 error-free swings.
 
Up Next

• Arizona wraps up the Cactus Classic on Saturday at 1 p.m. vs. Radford. The match will be free-of-charge.

 
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