CHRIS CODUTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat Outside hitter Jennifer Abernathy sets up for a spike during Friday's loss to the University of California at Santa Barbara.

After losing to No. 11 UC Santa Barbara in four games, the Arizona volleyball team rebounded by sweeping American and giving its bench some much-needed experience in the process.

The No. 14 Wildcats (6-4) closed the Four Points University Plaza Arizona Invitational with a win over American (3-6) on Saturday. On Friday UA lost to UCSB in four games ÷ 30-26, 28-30, 30-24, 30-19 ÷ and swept New Mexico State (3-6) in three ÷ 30-28, 35-33, 30-19. New Mexico State managed to beat the Gauchos for the program's first win ever over a ranked team.

UA head coach Dave Rubio attributed the Wildcats' UCSB loss to his team's lack of offense and the fact that his team committed more errors than the Gauchos.

UCSB had a hitting percentage of .268, holding Arizona to a .157 mark due to 37 errors.

"I'd be interested to see what (UCSB head coach) Kathy Gregory says about this match, but I would venture to say that was their best match of the year," Rubio said. "I thought they played an outstanding game and they had a good scouting report on us, and I thought they executed it well. I don't think we responded very well."

Sophomore outside hitter Kim Glass had 23 kills, including 11 in the first game, but also collected 15 errors. Sophomore middle blocker Bre Ladd had 11 kills, hitting .222.

Arizona Invitational all-tournament team Kim Glass sophomore Bre Ladd sophomore · Trinia Cuseo, middle hitter, New Mexico State · Mari Bell, outside hitter, American · Kim Glass, outside hitter, UA · Brea Ladd, middle blocker, UA · Erica Menzel, outside hitter, University of California Santa Barbara · Morgan Reader, setter, New Mexico State

"I give Santa Barbara all the credit because they scouted us to a ÎT,'" Ladd said. "They just put the pressure on us. They're a great volleyball team. They have great ball-control players. We knew that going into it."

For the Gauchos, junior setter Mari Bell finished with 11 kills to go along with her 39 assists, while Francina Edmonds tallied 10 kills and five block assists.

"Nothing out there was a surprise," Ladd said. "Everything that happened out there was complete cause and effect. We didn't pass very well, therefore we didn't have the greatest sense of the attackers getting the best swings possible."

Gaucho senior outside hitter Erica Menzel had a match-high 17 digs.

"Our left-side defense was just atrocious; we couldn't dig ourselves out of a sand box," Rubio said.

Following the loss to the Gauchos, the Wildcats dominated American in three games ÷ 30-23, 30-21, 30-18.

"When we played, our players were ready and I think that was the nicest thing," Rubio said. "I still felt our state of mind and our preparedness were exactly where they should have been."

Glass was surprised at how flat the Eagles, who almost upset UCSB, were for the noon match.

"Against American, they just didn't show up to play us at all today. We expected them to come out and be fired up against us as most teams are when they play us, so basically all we had to do was keep the ball in the court and we were going to win that game," Glass said.

Sophomore outside hitter Jennifer Abernathy struggled against UCSB, having a .000 attacking percentage ÷ seven kills with seven errors ÷ while playing in only three games.

If Abernathy does not return to her form of the first few matches, the Wildcats may be able to replace her with redshirt freshman outside hitter Meghan Cumpston, who was able to get in for extensive time on Saturday. Rubio feels they have to get Cumpston ÷ a top-50 recruit last year ÷ in the lineup so she can realize how good she is.

"I thought she played well," Rubio said. "She really is such a terrific talent. She can jump over people and hit over people, and just kind of out-physical people."

Cumpston had eight kills and three blocks in two games against the Gauchos. During her first extended appearance last weekend, she had seven kills in a straight set win over Rhode Island.

The Wildcats head to Washington to take on Washington State Thursday and the No. 18 Huskies on Friday.