Box Score SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The UC Irvine middle blockers had career-highs, but UC Santa Barbara beat the Anteaters 3-2 (25-22, 25-18, 21-25, 23-25, 15-8) at the Thunderdome Friday night.

Junior middle blocker Idara Akpakpa led UCI with a career-high 19 kills and a season-high five block assists. Sophomore middle blocker Makayla Wolfe followed with a career-high 15 kills, while hitting .500 (15-2-26). She added three total blocks.

Junior outside hitter Haley DeSales recorded 10 kills while junior opposite Harlee Kekauoha added nine kills. Setter Ali Koumelis had 44 set assists and 15 digs with libero Luna Tsujimoto logging a team-best 20 digs.

UCI (21-5, 9-4) had a season-high 10 blocks, but could not match UCSB's 13. The Gauchos also held an advantage in digs (71-58) and hitting percentage (.268-.158).

The nation's leader in kills did not disappoint, as UCSB's Lindsey Ruddins totaled 32 kills and 11 digs. Nicole Omwanghe had nine kills and Emilia Petrachi had a match-best 23 digs. UCSB goes to 7-17 overall and 6-6 in the Big West.

After UCSB won the first two sets, UCI took a small 13-11 lead on a pair of Idara Akpakpa kills in the third set. That proved to be the only separation they needed as Haley DeSales put away a kill for the 25-21 victory.

UCI got out to a quick 5-1 lead in the fourth set, but the Gauchos were able to knot the score at 6 all. The Anteaters would score four straight with the help of three UCSB errors to move in front 11-7. Four consecutive UCI errors helped UCSB catch UCI again at 12-12. A Santa Barbara service error, a kill by Makayla Wolfe and an ace by Harlee Kekauoha put UCI back on top 20-17 and an Akpakpa kill would force a fifth set, 25-23.

Three Lindsey Ruddins kills plus three UCI attack errors gave UCSB the early 7-1 lead and a block would end the set 15-8 and the match 3-2.

It's a quick turnaround for UCI as the team will travel to league-leading Cal Poly tomorrow at 2:00 p.m.