Irvine, Calif. – Second-ranked UCLA beat No. 4 UC Irvine 3-1 (25-19, 24-26, 25-23, 25-23) in the MPSF opener in front of 2,232 fans at the Bren Events Center Friday.
The Anteaters (1-2, 0-1) were led by junior Tamir Hershko's match-high 20 kills followed by senior Kyle Russell with a season-best 15 kills. Setter Michael Saeta recorded 42 set assists, seven digs, while hitting .750 (6-0-8). Opposite Karl Apfelbach had a match-high nine digs to go with five kills. Middle Blocker Jason Agopian totaled five kills and five total blocks. Libero Dillon Hoffman added eight digs.
Mitch Stahl and Jake Arnitz led UCLA (4-0, 1-0) with 14 kills apiece. Stahl added three aces and five block assists. Micah Ma'a collected eight kills, 23 set assists, two aces and nine digs. Hagen Smith had 29 set assists, six kills and seven digs.
UCLA edged UCI at the net, out-blocking the Anteaters 9.5-9.0 and had eight aces to UCI's two. UCLA hit. 269 (55-20-130), while UCI hot .292 (56-21-120).
UCLA used an ace and a kill by Jake Arnitz to make the first move in the first set, 12-10. Another three consecutive points by the Bruins extended the UCLA advantage to17-13. The Bruins would win the game 25-19.
UCLA seemed to hold a comfortable 16-10 lead in the second set, before UCI caught fire out-scoring the Bruins 10-3 to jump in front 20-19 capped by a Karl Apfelbach kill. Kills by Kyle Russell and Jason Agopian put the game away, 26-24.
Strong serving by Tamir Hershko got the Anteaters started with a 5-2 lead in the third set. UCLA would battle back and use a block to knot the set at 11-11 and use a Mitch Stahl kill on an overpass to take the Bruins' first lead of the set 13-12. The Anteaters responded with the next three including a solo block by Apfelbach (15-12). In a set full of runs, the Bruins would take a 17-16 lead. UCLA would take advantage of a UCI attack error and follow it with a kill by Stahl to lead 23-22. An Anteater service error and attack error gave UCLA the win, 25-23.
The fourth set was won by the UCLA when a Micha Ma'a service ace followed an Oliver Martin kill (24-22). A block by Apfelbach and Jason Agopian delayed the Bruin win which was sealed by a JT Hatch kill, 25-23.
The Anteaters will entertain No. 8 UC Santa Barbara tomorrow (Jan. 16) at the Bren Events Center at 7:00 p.m.
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