TUCSON, Ariz. – The Wildcats fell in the first match of the Cactus Classic, 1-3, to UC Davis and lost the second match, 2-3, to North Carolina.
 
Match 1 | Arizona 3, UC Davis 2
Arizona opened the season with a four-set loss to UC Davis, 21-25, 25-17, 19-25, 18-25. A trio of Wildcats – Jaelyn Hodge, Sofia Maldonado Diaz, and Jordan Wilson – each tallied double-digit kills. Hodge led the team with 15 kills and two blocks. Wilson had 12 kills and Maldonado Diaz recorded 10 kills.
 
Ana Heath served three aces and had 38 assists. Nicole Briggs tallied two blocks and Alayna Johnson had six kills in the match.
 
Match 2 | North Carolina 3, Arizona 2
Arizona lost to North Carolina, 18-25, 21-25, 26-24, 25-18, 14-16, in the second match of the day. Maldonado Diaz led the attack with 24 kills, hitting .388, and helped the defense with four blocks. Hodge followed with 13 kills and three blocks and Puk Stubbe tallied 12 kills in the match.
 
Heath, Maldonado Diaz, and Hodge each recorded their first double-doubles of the season. Heath totaled 45 assists and 13 digs – career high marks in both categories. Maldonado Diaz recorded 24 kills and 13 digs. Hodge tallied 13 kills and 12 digs.  
 
Johnson led Arizona's defense with six blocks while tallying four kills.
 
Match 1 Leaders vs. UC Davis
Kills: Jaelyn Hodge – 15
Assists: Ana Heath– 38
Digs: Jaelyn Hodge- 13
Blocks: Nicole Briggs & Jaelyn Hodge – 2
 
Match 2 Leaders vs. North Carolina
Kills: Sofia Maldonado Diaz – 24
Assists: Ana Heath – 45
Digs: Joy Galles, Ana Heath & Sofia Maldonado Diaz - 13
Blocks: Alayna Johnson – 6

Arizona closes out the Cactus Classic against Pacific on Saturday, August 26 at 3:30 p.m. MST in McKale Center.