THIS WEEK
Match: UC Irvine at UC Santa Barbara · Wednesday, Mar. 7 · 7:00 p.m. · Rob Gym.
Live Stats: http://livestats.prestosports.com/ucsb/
Match: UC Irvine at UCLA · Saturday, Mar. 10 · 7:00 p.m. · John Wooden Center
Live Stats: http://www.uclabruins.com/gametracker/launch/gt_mvolley.html?event=1015697&school=ucla&sport=mvolley&camefrom=&startschool=&
Audio: http://www.ucirvinesports.com/media/listen_live/index
NO. 2 UC IRVINE TRAVELS TO No. 12 UCSB; NO. 1 UCLA: No. 2 UC Irvine continues on the road, traveling to No. 12 UC Santa Barbara Wednesday (Mar. 7) at 7:00 p.m. in Rob Gym.
A No.1 versus No. 2 showdown will take place Saturday (Mar. 10) as the Anteaters head to the John Wooden Center to take on the top-ranked Bruins at 7:00 p.m.
VERSUS THE OPPONENTS: UCI trails UC Santa Barbara (19-31) and UCLA (14-40) in the series records.
This will be the first meeting with the Gauchos this season. The Anteaters won both meetings last year, 3-0. UCSB is 5-11 overall and 3-9 in the MPSF.
UCI defeated UCLA, 3-1 in a non-conference match to capture the UCSB Invitational earlier this season. Clark led UCI against the Bruins with 17 kills, 10 digs and five block assists, while Jeremy Dejno totaled 16 kills and hit .519 (16-2-27).
The Anteaters out-hit UCLA .343 to .242, while the Bruins topped UCI in digs (54-46) and blocks (10.5-9.0). Both teams fired six aces.
Jeremy Casebeer paced UCLA with 13 kills followed by Weston Dunlap with 11 kills and Thomas Amberg with 10. Setter Kyle Caldwell recorded 42 set assists and nine digs, while hitting .750 (6-0-8).
The Bruins are 17-2 overall and 11-1 in the MPSF. UCLA's only other loss came at the hands of Long Beach State. UCLA will entertain UC San Diego before facing UCI.
STREAKING: Both UCI and UCLA enter the week on five match winning streaks.
OFFENSIVE EFFICENCY: UCI has hit over .350 in nine matches this year. The Anteaters hit a season-high .474 (44-8-76) in the win over Pacific on Feb. 18.
TILLIE EARNS PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS: Junior outside hitter Kevin Tillie has been named Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Molten Player of the Week after hitting .554 (41-5-65) to lead the Anteaters to a pair of road wins at then-No. 12 Pacific and then-No. 2 Stanford.
Tillie began the week with a match-best 19 kills and a career-high nine digs against Pacific, along with two aces. Against Stanford, the junior had a career and match-high 22 kills. He had nine kills in the first set, before a going 10-0-14 (.714) in the final two sets to secure the UCI victory over the Cardinal. For the week, Tillie averaged 5.12 kills, 1.88 digs and 5.69 points per set.
Tillie is averaging 3.72 kills, 4.21 points and 1.55 digs per set overall.
NATION'S BEST SERVING TEAM: UCI ranks first in the country in aces with a 1.76 average.
The Anteaters, who have fired five or more aces in 11 of the last 12 matches, have had more aces than the opponent in 14 matches and have tied in the other two. UCI had a season-high 14 service aces against BYU on Jan. 14.
Sophomore Jeremy Dejno leads the squad with 28 followed by Carson Clark with 27. Clark became UCI's career leader earlier this season and currently has 149 all-time. Dejno ranks fifth in the national in aces per set and Dejno is fifth.
MORE NATIONAL STATS: UCI ranks second in kills (13.81) and assists (13.05) and hitting percentage (.363).
Daniel Stork ranks second in assists per game (11.73), while Jeremy Dejno is seventh nationally in hitting percentage (.350).
ON THE ATTACK: UCI has several offensive weapons led by junior Kevin Tillie who is averaging 3.72 kills and points. Senior All-American opposite Carson Clark who is averaging 3.62 kills, 4.41 points, 0.47 aces. Outside hitter Jeremy Dejno averages 3.22 kills, 3.98 points and 0.47 aces. Senior outside hitter Kevin Carroll averages 2.56 kills per set and freshman opposite Zack La Cavera owns a 2.00 kill mark.
UCI MOVES UP TO NO. 2 IN THE COUNTRY: UC Irvine moved up one spot to No. 2 in this week's AVCA Coaches Poll. The Anteaters have been ranked in the nation's top 15 for 110 consecutive weeks.
UCI is No. 2 in the lastest Asiscs/Volleyball Magazine poll for the third consecutive week.
AUSTIN SETS UCI TO WINS: Junior setter Chris Austin has lead UCI to the last four wins with a 12.86 set assist average over that span. With Austin running the offense UCI has hit .402. He also has 11 kills in 14 sets. Overall, Austin is averaging 7.04 set assists.
AND THEY CAN DIG TOO: Senior Carson Clark and junior Tillie are known for their offensive power, but they are averaging 1.71 and 1.55 digs respectively. Clark has led the Anteaters in digs on five occasions this year.
MPSF STATS: UCI leads the MPSF in service aces with a 1.76 average and in hitting percentage (.364). The Anteaters are second in kills (13.76). The Anteaters are averaging 1.80 aces in MPSF matches only where they also top the league.
Kevin Tillie in sixth in hitting percentage (.448), seventh n kills (3.72) and points (4.21).
Carson Clark is second in the MPSF in aces (0.47), is sixth in points (4.44) and ninth in kills (3.70). Clark leads the league in aces in MPSF matches only with a 0.62 mark.
Jeremy Dejno is third in aces (0.47), 13th in points (3.92) and 14th in kills (3.20). Daniel Stork is fifth in set assists (11.73).
MPSF statistics have different minimums than the NCAA rankings.
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