Los Angeles, Calif. – No. 1 UCLA swept No. 8 UC Irvine, 3-0 (25-14, 25-23, 25-23) at Pauley Pavilion Monday night.

Senior outside hitter Connor Hughes put away a match and season-high 15 kills to lead UCI (5-5, 2-4). Middle blocker Scott Kevorken hit .750 (6-0-8) and had three blocks, while Collin Mehring and outside hitter Jeremy Dejno each added five kills with Mehring recording a match-high four blocks. Libero Michael Brinkley recorded a match-best six digs. Setter Daniel Stork  totaled 34 set assisrs.

UCLA (7-1, 4-0) was led by Gonzalo Quiroga with 14 kills. Robart Page had 11 kills and Michael Fisher had 10 kills.

The Anteaters out-blocked UCLA, 7.5-2.5, but the Bruins fired seven aces to UCI's two.

UCLA used a 4-0 run in the first set, which included two consecutive aces to open a 7-3 and the Bruins would go on to win the game 25-14. UCI would commit four straight errors to end the set.

UCI led 14-12 on a Connor Hughes kill in the second set before the Bruins scored three in a row to go ahead 15-14. The Anteaters responded with back-to-back blocks, a solo by Scott Kevorken and a Kevorken and Dejno combo, 16-15. A kill by Quiroga out of the back, a UCLA block and ace opened a 22-19 Bruin lead. UCLA would continue to lead 23-21 then the Anteaters had a kill by Hughes and a block by Collin Mehring and Daniel Stork to tie the set at 23-23. A kill by Robart Page and a UCI blocking error ended the set for UCLA, 25-23. The second set saw 15 ties and five ties. Hughes put away eight kills in the game.

The third set was a game of runs. UCLA started with a quick 7-2 lead, but the Anteaters caught fire and went on a 11-3 run to take an 13-10 lead. A Zack La Cavera kill gave UCI an 18-14 lead before the Bruins out-scored the Anteaters 8-2 to go up 22-20. UCLA closed out the set 25-23 and the match 3-0.

UCI will take on UC San Diego Friday (Jan. 31) at the Bren Center beginning at 7:00 p.m.