MOSCOW, Idaho --- UC Irvine trailed by two sets but powered through the final three frames and posted a commanding 15-5 decision in the fifth to beat to Idaho, 3-2 (19-25, 19-25, 25-18-25-18, 15-5) Saturday afternoon at the Idaho Volleyball Classic.
UCI had four players reach double-digit kills with Ella Rosenfeld leading with a career-high 15 kills and a match-best .538 (15k – 1e – 26 ta) hitting percentage. Sydney Wright, Harlee Kekauoha and Victoria Dennis each chipped in 13 kills apiece with Kekauoha posting a double-double with 12 digs. Idara Akpakpa delivered a team-high four blocks and Emily Blair quarterbacked the Anteaters with a personal-best 49 assists to go along with eight digs. Luna Tsujimoto scooped up a career-high 21 digs with Arden Davis totaling 10 digs and two aces.
"I am very proud of our girls today for showing resilience and fight against a good team on their home court," said head coach Ashlie Hain. "We had significant contributions from all hitters and made huge progress as a team."
Idaho took control in the first set, jumping out to a 6-1 lead. UCI hit .357 for the set but the Vandals did not commit an error in the frame, boasting a .542 clip. Idaho led by as many as nine points (18-9) after a kill from Tineke Bierma but the Anteaters clawed and came to within three (19-16) following a kill from Rosenfeld. However, Idaho responded with three straight points and took the set on an attack error by Kekauoha.
The Anteaters' offensive efforts dipped considerably in the second, managing just a .098 percentage in the second. UCI quickly shook off an early three-point deficit to tie the score at 10-10 but a key block by the duo of Torrin Crawford and Sarah Sharp on Sydney Wright prompted a timeout with UCI trailing 16-12. Idaho held off UCI and took the two-set lead as Meredith Coba found Crawford for the game-winner.
UCI came out of the 10-minute break and forced Idaho to use a timeout following consecutive kills from Wright (6-2). The Vandals chipped at the lead and would catch UCI at 12-12 as Crawford delivered again on a pair of plays. The Anteaters capitalized on a bad set by Jenna Ellis and an unforced error by Kaela Straw with kills from Wright and Rosenfeld to edge out to a 16-13 advantage. UCI then out-scored Idaho, 5-2 to build a five-point lead (21-15) as Kekauoha came through twice in the run. Wright would give UCI the set with a cross-court kill.
The Anteater freshmen delivered early in the fourth with Kekauoha and Akpakpa posting a pair of kills to highlight a 4-0 run that put UCI ahead 12-8. Upperclassmen, Dennis and Rosenfeld came through to spark the team with a three-point run that extended the margin to 18-12 and UCI would cruise to the win, forcing the deciding set.
It was the Anteaters' show in the fifth as the team hit .667 with no errors in 12 swings. UCI sped out to a 6-2 lead with Blair delivering a key kill to cap the burst. Rosenfeld held the hot hand after a Vandal timeout as the middle blocker knocked down an errant pass by Idaho to force the side change (8-3) and then came back with a kill on the slide (9-3). Idaho was unable to regroup and Dennis skied over the block with a shot down the line for the 11-3 lead and she would team up with Akpakpa to deny Becca Mau at the net for the win.
UCI will close out action against Seattle University today at 4:30 p.m.
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