Box Score LOS ANGELES, Calif – No. 5 UC Irvine could not contain the UCLA serve late and fell to the third-ranked Bruins, 3-2 (21-25, 19-25, 25-20, 25-16, 16-14) in a non-conference match at Pauley Pavilion Wednesday night.

UCI suffers its first loss (2-1) of the season, watching UCLA fire 13 service aces, including 11 over the last three sets. The Bruins did not commit an error in the fourth set, hitting .714 (15-0-21 and just one in the fifth, .588 (11-1-17).

Opposite Karl Apfelbach led the Anteaters with a match-high 14 kills. Aaron Koubi made his debut, putting away seven kills over the last three sets. Outside hitter Reid Dominguez matched Koubi with a season-high seven kills. Middle blocker Scott Stadick recorded five kills and two blocks, while middle blocker Matthew Younggren had a team-high three total blocks to go with three kills. Setter Dante Chakravorti totaled 29 set assists and a team and career-high 14 digs.

UCLA (4-0) was led by Daenan Gyimah and Christian Hessenauer with 13 kills each. Dylan Missry had nine kills and five service aces.

Four consecutive UCLA errors put the Anteaters in front 7-4 in the first set. A smash by Joel Schneidmiller from the back row kept UCI up 13-11, but the Bruins would go on a 6-2 run to take a 17-15. UCI returned the favor scoring five straight on three UCLA errors and kills by Reid Dominguez and Karl Apfelbach to move back in front, 20-17. Scott Stadick would finish the set with a kill, 25-21.

A block by Stadick and Dante Chakravorti followed by a kill by Apfelbach from a David Parker dig plus a UCLA attack error helped UCI tie the second set at 10-10. A service ace by Stadick and a kill by Dominguez gave UCI the 15-12 advantage. Five consecutive UCLA errors, including a block by Matthew Younggren and Dominguez, pushed UCI's margin to 21-15. Another UCLA service error gave UCI the 25-19 lead. UCLA's eighth service error handed UCI the set 25-19.

Back-to-back hitting errors by UCLA helped UCI to a 9-7 lead in the third set. With the score tied at 16-16, UCLA had back-to-back kills by JT Hatch to sneak ahead 18-16. Three more consecutive points by the Bruins pushed the advantage to 22-18. UCLA would go on to win the set 25-20.

UCLA jumped out to a quick 6-2 lead in the fourth set and would win 25-16 to force a fifth set.

In the fifth set, Micah Ma'a had a kill then barely set the ball over the net forcing the Anteaters to go under the net while digging to give UCLA the two-point separation 6-4.  With UCLA holding a 10-7 lead, UCI went to work and tied the set at 11-11 on a Koubi ace. The Bruins would score the next two to move back in front 13-11. UCLA had match point 14-12, but a pair of Bruin errors gave UCI life 14-14. A kill by Christian Hessenauer was followed by an ace by Ma'a to give the Bruins the comeback win, 16-14.

UCI returns home to battle No. 12 USC Friday at 7:00 p.m. in the Bren Events Center.