Irvine, Calif. – Sophomore outside hitter Jeremy Dejno had a match-high 14 kills to lead No. 1 UC Irvine to a 3-0 (25-16, 25-22, 25-22) victory over No. 15 UC Santa Barbara at Crawford Court Friday.

The nation's top –ranked team improves to 19-3 overall and 15-3 in the MPSF and extends their winning streak to 10. UCSB goes to 5-17 on the year and 3-14 in MPSF action.

Dejno led the Anteaters with 14 kills, hitting .524 (14-3-21). Senior Carson Clark added 11 kills and three block assists, while senior middle blocker Dan McDonnell toatled seven kills and three block assists and junior outside hitter Kevin Tillie recorded six kills and two aces. Setter Chris Austin recorded 34 set assists, four digs and two block assists. Freshman libero Michael Brinkley had a match-best eight digs.

Matt Marsh was the lone Gaucho with double figure kills with 14. Miles Evans followed with seven kills. Five different UCSB players each recorded three digs.

UCI won the first set 25-16 hitting .398 (11-4-18) to UCSB's .182 (9-5-22). UCI held an 11-10 lead before going on a 6-2 run which included two kills by Carson Clark, a kill by Jeremy Dejno and a block by Scott Kevorken and Chris Austin to put the Anteaters ahead 17-12.

In the second set, UCI led 16-12 before four consecutive Anteater errors helped the Gauchos knot the score at 16-16. After the teams traded points, kills by Clark and Kevin Tillie gave UCI a 20-18 lead. The Anteaters led 23-20, but a UCI service error and a UCSB kill pulled the Gauchos within 23-22.  Following a UCI timeout, the Anteaters used a Gaucho service error and a block by Kevorken and Dejno to end the set 25-22. Clark led UCI with five kills and an ace in the set.

UCI jumped out to a 10-4 lead in the third set and led comfortably until the Gauchos closed to 22-20 on a block by Blaine Nielsen and Dylan Davis. A kill by Zack La Cavera gave UCI the 23-20 advantage and after the teams swapped points a UCSB service error ended the set 25-22 and the match 3-0.

No. 1 UCI will take on No. 3 UCLA tomorrow at Crawford Court beginning at 7:00 p.m. The match is sold out to the general public. Fans are encouraged to get to Crawford early as parking in the Mesa Structure will be impacted due to a large event at the Bren Center. UCI seniors will be honored before the match.