Box Score IRVINE, Calif. – UC Irvine improved to 9-1 overall with a 3-0 victory over Fresno State (25-22, 25-21, 25-22) at the Bren Events Center Thursday.

In the Anteaters' home opener, junior Harlee Kekauoha led all players with 14 kills and a season-high four aces and 12 digs. Junior Haley DeSales added 11 kills and nine digs, while senior Luna Tsujimoto had a match-high 15 digs.

UCI did not hit well (.179) and had a season-low one block, but had timely points with eight aces. The Anteaters out-dug the Bulldogs 49-37.

Taylor Slover led Fresno State (5-7) with eight kills followed by Brielle Hefner and Aubrey Folk with seven kills.

UCI created some separation in the first set on four straight points, the last an ace by Ali Koumelis, to lead 20-16, but Fresno State returned the favor going on a 5-1 run to knot the score at 21-21. A Bulldog ball-handling error, a soft tip high over the block by Harlee Kekauoha and a FSU attack error brought the game to set point, 24-21. Following a Bulldog kill, Kekauoha put away a kill for the set winner, 25-22.

Fresno State jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the second set, but it was short lived as UCI came alive out-scoring the Bulldogs 14-4 to move in front 14-8. Danika Ferguson had two kills and Kekauoha had two aces during the run. UCI led 21-15 when Fresno State made another late run creeping to 21-20, before Ali Koumelis and Haley DeSales had back-to-back kills to stop the momentum and put UCI up 23-20. DeSales would end the set with a kill, 25-21.

The third set was close until UCI used a kill by Bria Beale and two Bulldog miscues to lead 17-13. A kill by DeSales, a Koumelis ace and a block by Kekauoha and Idara Akpakpa stretched the margin to 21-15. Fresno State would close to 22-19 and again at 24-22, but following a UCI time out a Bulldog service ace would end the set and match, 25-22.

The Bren Events Center has a full slate of matches tomorrow in the UCI/LBSU Invitational.

10:00 a.m. – Bakersfield vs San Francisco
12:00 p.m. – Montana State vs UC Irvine
5:00 p.m. – Montana State vs Bakersfield
7:00 p.m. – San Francisco vs UC Irvine