IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine fell to UC Santa Barbara, 25-12, 25-23, 25-17 Saturday in a Big West match at the Bren Events Center. The loss dropped UCI to 6-10 on the season and 1-4 in league action.

Aly Squires paced the team with seven kills while adding 11 digs. Kristin Winkler picked up 12 digs while posting a pair of aces and Mary Carls handed 14 assists to go along with two aces and eight digs.

 The Anteaters struggled offensively in the first set as the Gauchos took an early 6-2 lead. A UCI service error followed by a kill from Lily Lopez extended UCSB's lead to six points at 11-5. The lead grew to 12 points at 22-10 following a four-point Gaucho run and Jenna Wilson delivered a solo block on Shannon Fleming to close out the set.

UCI responded in the second set, jumping out to a 10-6 lead on consecutive kills from Shaina Olsen and Squires, forcing a Gaucho timeout. UCSB scored four straight following the break to tie the match at 10-10 but UCI would answer with its own four point run, including back-to-back aces from Winkler that dropped inside the end-line. UCSB chipped at the deficit and at 21-18, made a move by mounting a five-point run to take a 22-21 edge as Leah Sully put the ball away on a UCI overpass. The two teams traded points but at 22-22, a Gaucho kill was followed by an ace from Sully to put UCSB 24-22. Pauline Acres sent a kill down the middle to close the gap to one but Kara Sherrard hit a line shot to put UCSB ahead, 2-0.

In the final set, UCI established a 12-10 lead on a kill from Acres but at 13-13, UCSB reeled off five consecutive points to take an 18-13 advantage. A five-point run by the Gauchos put UCI behind 23-14 and an Anteater service error would end the match.

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