Box Score

ALBUQUERQUE, NM --- Sophomore Victoria Dennis, who totaled a career-high 13 kills last week against Army, set a new personal-best with 17 kills to lead UC Irvine (5-3) to a 25-17, 25-14, 25-16 win over Bethune-Cookman Friday at the MCM Elegante Lobo Invitational.

The outside hitter committed just four errors in 32 attempts to hit a lofty .406, her best hitting percentage to date. Arielle Manz added eight kills and hit .400 in the match and Allison Lee led the team with 14 digs. Emily Blair orchestrated the offense, posting a career-high 37 assists in the win.

The Blair-Dennis combination was unveiled from the start as Dennis knocked down the first point for the Anteaters, who would use a 6-1 run to grab a 13-7 lead. The margin stretched to eight at 20-12 on an attack error by Delicia Pierre and UCI would take the frame on a block by Allison Lee and Ella Rosenfeld.

Blair switched targets in the second set, finding Lee four times in a rally that saw the Anteaters jump out to an 11-3 advantage and a Wildcat timeout. Bethune-Cookman did not help its cause, hitting negative .031 in the set and UCI continued to apply pressure, leading by as many as 11 (18-7)points on a kill from Dennis. Bethune-Cookman never posed a threat in the second frame and Blair dished the ball to Manz for the kill to give UCI a two-set lead.

The Wildcats prevented the Anteaters from building the large lead early in the third but Dennis posted a pair of kills in a three-point, unanswered run as UCI slowlypulled away from an 8-8 tie (11-8). The lead stretched to four on a kill from Lee but Bethune-Cookman cut the deficit in half (15-13) as Alexus Bennett aced Arden Davis. Cassidy Pickrell sparked the team, connecting with Blair and then firing a service ace to put UCI ahead at 19-15. The Anteaters then went on a 6-1 run to seal the match.

UCI faces Montana State Saturday at 9:30 a.m. (PT) and host New Mexico at 6:30 p.m.