Boxscore
BERKELEY, Calif. -- UC Irvine opened the season with a 3-1 victory over Cal (25-21, 25-21, 12-25, 25-19) in the second match of the Molten Classic at Haas Pavilion Friday.
The Anteaters were led by juniors Idara Akpakpa and Haley DeSales with 10 kills each. DeSales also posted 16 digs. Brianna Montgomery was also impressive with a career-high eight kills. Opposite Harlee Kekauoha added seven kills and seven digs, while middle blocker Makayla Wolfe recorded six kills and three service aces. Libero Luna Tsujimoto scooped a match-high 18 digs and setter Ali Koumelis recorded 35 set assists and five digs in the win.
Cal, who was plagued by six ball-handling errors and 11 service errors, was led by Antzela Dempi with 11 kills, four aces and four blocks. The Bears out-blocked UCI 9-3.
UCI took a 14-11 lead in the first set on four straight errors by the Bears, the last a block by Brianna Montgomery and Idara Akpakpa forcing a Cal timeout. The break stopped the momentum as Cal would score the next three to tie it back up at 14 all. With the score tied at 16-16, UCI went on a 5-1 run capped by a Makayla Wolfe ace to open a 21-17 lead. UCI would win the set on a Cal ball handling error, 25-21.
In set two, UCI created some separation on a kill by Harlee Kekauoha and two Cal attack errors, 14-10. Back-to-back kills by Haley DeSales and Kekauoha pushed the lead to 21-18. Wolfe would put away the set winner, 25-21.
The Bears jumped out to the early 4-1 lead in the third set and consecutive blocks stretched the Bears advantage to 10-5. Cal would go on to take the set 25-12. UCI hit -.167 (5-10-30).
DeSales took over the offense in the fourth set with four kills to put the Anteaters in front 12-10. Kills by Montgomery and Akpakpa combined with two Cal errors pushed the Anteater lead to 18-14. Two more DeSales kills helped the Anteaters to 20-17. UCI would close out the set and match the a 25-19 win.
Tomorrow UCI will continue with two more matches in Berkeley, starting with Seattle U at 12:30 p.m. then Loyola-Chicago at 5:00 p.m.
