UC Irvine Looks For First Big West Win; Hosts CS Fullerton, Travels To UC Davis
September 28, 2015 | Women's Volleyball
COMING UP THIS WEEK
- The Anteaters, 6-8 overall and 0-2 in the Big West Conference, will host Cal State Fullerton this Wed. (Sept. 30) at Crawford Court before traveling to UC Davis Sat. (Oct. 3).
- UCI opened league play with two losses and are sixth in the conference.
- Cal State Fullerton (0-1) and UC Davis (0-2) will also be looking for their first conference wins this week.
- Live stats and video for the match against the Titans can be found on ucirvinesports.com
BATTLE OF THE LIBEROS
- Impressive defensive displays should be on tap this weekend as Luna Tsujimoto and UC Davis' Malia Bolko meet each other head-on.
- Tsujimoto has accumulated 204 digs and is averaging 3.85 per set to sit fifth in the Big West.
- Bolko edges Tsujimoto with a 3.86 average (4th) and has 228 digs on the year.
- Bolko also holds the advantage in service aces at 12-10.
- Both liberos are in their first season with their respective teams.
KEKAUOHA LEADS TEAM IN BIG WEST OPENER
- Harlee Kekauoha continued her solid play for the Anteaters, leading the team with a 3.29 kill average last week.
- The freshman also posted four aces, half of the team's total of eight.
- Kekauoha was one of two Anteaters to log at least one solo block and a block assist last week and she picked up 1.57 digs in seven sets.
- Kekauoha, who hit .333 last week, owns a .339 hitting percentage and is ranked sixth in the Big West.
- She is eighth in kills (3.23) and fourth in aces (.34).
BUBICA BRINGS BACK NEEDED FIREPOWER
- Marisa Bubica made her first start since Aug. 29 and gave the Anteaters a needed offensive boost.
- The outside hitter put away 15 kills in 39 attempts and hit .256 against the 49ers.
- Bubica had been sidelined due to injury and is currently averaging 2.91 in 11 sets played.
ANDERSON CONTINUES TO CLIMB
- Shelley Anderson recorded 69 assists in two matches last week and moved to fourth in the UCI career records with 2,603.
- The junior has posted 40 or more assists in five matches this season with a season-high 48 against San Diego.
- Anderson also added 11 digs against Long Beach State to record her first double-double match this year.
- She is fourth in the conference with a 8.42 assist average and fifth with 379 assists on the year.
DENNIS LOGS SEASON-HIGH AGAINST CSUN
- Victoria Dennis put away 10 of 20 attempts with just three errors to hit .350, a season-best for the outside hitter.
- Dennis' previous high was a .343 effort in the win against San Diego.
- The junior also chipped in 12 kills against Long Beach State.
- She leads UCI with a with 175 kills and a 3.30 per-set average.
- Dennis also tops the team with 10 solo blocks and is third with 30 total blocks overall.
- Dennis is seventh in the Big West in kills.
ANTEATER BLOCK PARTY IS SHUT DOWN
- After recording at least 10 team blocks against Oregon State and San Diego, the Anteater blocking all but disappeared in the Big West opening weekend.
- The team had just one team block against CSUN and then recorded three against the 49ers.
- The blocking game is key for the Anteaters, who have recorded double-digit block assists in five of their six wins.
- Also in the five wins, UCI averaged at least seven or more total team blocks.
- Ella Rosenfeld and Idara Akpakpa share the team high with 41 total blocks and .77 averages.
SERVICE ERRORS IMPEDE EFFORTS
- The Anteaters registered a season-worst 11 service errors in the loss against the 49ers, reaching double-digits for the first time this year.
- Conversely, UCI has fired a season-best nine service winners twice this year against Seattle and North Dakota State.
ABOUT THE TITANS
- Cal State Fullerton is winless on the year at 0-13.
- The Titans are led by Summer Kerins, who has 91 kills and a 2.07 average.
- Mackenzie Olsen tops the team with 367 assists while paige Reed is the Titan dig leader at 3.62 per set.
- UCI is 45-28 all-time against CSF and has won four straight against the Titans.
ABOUT THE AGGIES
- UC Davis 5-11 and 0-2 in the Big West.
- Kaylin Squyres is the team leader with 268 kills and is second in the Big West with a 4.54 average.
- Aggie Allie Wegener is also second in the conference after posting 21 service aces and boasting a .38 average.
- The Anteaters lead 14-8 in the series against UC Davis but the Aggies have won four of the last six contests.
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