THIS WEEK
AVCA Showcase · Hosted by BYU · Provo, Utah
No. 2 UC Irvine vs No. 14 George Mason · Friday, Jan. 8 · 3:30 p.m. PT · Smith Fieldhouse
Live Stats
No. 2 UC Irvine vs No. 3 Loyola · Saturday, Jan. 9 · 3:30 p.m. PT · Smith Fieldhouse
Live Stats
QUICK HITS
UC Irvine will begin the 2016 season at the AVCA Showcase hosted by BYU. The Anteaters will face No. 14 George Mason Friday (Jan. 8) then defending NCAA Champion Loyola-Chicago Saturday (Jan. 9). Both matches begin at 3:30 p.m. PT.
UCI enters the season ranked No. 2 in the AVCA poll behind No. 1 BYU. The Anteaters were also picked second in the MPSF Preseason Coaches Poll.
UCI is 4-2 against George Mason all-time, winning the last three matches. The last time the two team met , UCI beat the Patriots 3-0 at home last season.
The Patriots started the season with a 3-0 loss to No. 5 UCLA on Tuesday.
The Anteaters trail Loyola 4-3 in the series, falling to the Ramblers in the semifinals of the NCAA Championship last year.
Third-ranked Loyola began the year with a 3-1 loss to UC Santa Barbara at home. The Ramblers are without the services of 2015 AVCA Player of the Year Thomas Jaeschke who turned professional last summer.
The last time UCI visited Smith Fieldhouse they accomplished something most teams can't, beating the Cougars twice on their home court. The first win snapped BYU's 36-home match winning streak which dated back to Feb. 1, 2013. Prior to the Anteaters, the last time a team beat BYU twice dates back to Stanford in 2012 (Feb. 3-4).
UCI defeated Concordia 3-0 in an exhibition match on Dec. 30.
Middle blocker Marty Ross led the squad, hitting .727 (8-0-11) and rejecting seven blocks. Outside hitter Kyle Russell posted eight kills and three aces in two sets. Reid Dominquez totaled seven kills as did Karl Apfelbach who also had four blocks and a team-high 12 digs.
The Anteaters were 28-5 overall last season, winning the MPSF regular season with a 19-3 mark. UCI won their third MPSF Tournament crown with wins over UCLA (3-0), USC (3-2) and Pepperdine (3-1).
UCI returns five starters, including first team All-American Tamir Hershko on the outside and first team All-MPSF middle blocker Jason Agopian. Setter Michael Saeta, outside hitter Kyle Russell and middle blocker Andrew Benz also return for the 'Eaters.
Head coach David Kniffin is in his fourth season, earning 2015 MPSF Coach of the Year honors.
UCI will battle all 15 teams on the AVCA's preseason list in 2016.
UCI will return home to host No. 5 UCLA on Jan. 15.
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