Box Score RIVERSIDE, Calif. – A balanced effort led UC Irvine to a 3-1 win at UC Riverside (26-28, 26-24, 25-19, 25-17) at the Student Recreation Center.
After losing the first set, the Anteaters had four players record double-figure kills and won the final three to go to 7-13 overall and 2-4 in the Big West. UCR falls to 5-11 overall and 0-4 in the conference.
Harlee Kekauoha posted a team-high 17 kills, 12 digs, two aces and a team-best six block assists. Victoria Dennis had 14 kills, while Danielle Geiger hit .579 on 12 kills, one error and 19 attempts. Haley DeSales also recorded 12 digs to go with 15 digs. Shelley Anderson collected 59 set assists, three aces and 10 digs and Idara Akpakpa tallied eight kills and five blocks. Luna Tsujimoto notched a match-high 17 digs.
The Anteaters topped the Highlanders in hitting percentage (.276-.160), digs (65-45) and aces (6-2), but was edged in blocking 12-11.
UCR was led by Mickayla Sherman with 17 kills and Cristina Maiette with 10 kills.
In the first set, UCI led 22-18 before the Highlanders scored four straight, which included two Anteater errors to knot the score at 22-22. Teams would match points until Riverside had back-to-back blocks and a kill to win 28-26.
It was UCI's turn to rally late in the second set after UCR held a 23-19 lead, the Anteaters went on a 4-1 run which included kills by Shelly Anderson, Victoria Dennis and Harlee Kekauoha forcing a Highlander timeout, 24-23. Out of the break, a block by Kekauoha and Idara Akpakpa was followed by two more UCR errors giving UCI the 26-24 win.
Kills by Dennis, Haley DeSales and Akpakpa plus a block pushed UCI in front 14-10 in the third set. The Anteaters expanded the lead with another 4-0 run, capped by a Kekauoha ace, 19-13. UCI would win the set 25-19.
UCI took control of the fourth set, scoring 12 unanswered with Kekauoha and Akpakpa combining for five kills and teaming for a pair of blocks, while Anderson had three aces to open a 17-5 advantage. UCI cruised to a 25-17 lead to clinch the match 3-1.
UCI remains on the road with a trip to Hawaii next Friday (Oct. 14).
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