IRVINE, Calif. – No. 2 UCLA beat No. 4 UC Irvine 3-1 (25-21, 25-22, 18-25, 25-19) in a non-conference match at the Bren Events Center Saturday.

The Anteaters snap an eight-match winning streak and go to 10-2 overall, while UCLA is 10-1 on the year.

UCI was led by opposite Karl Apfelbach with 17 kills and outside hitter Joel Schneidmiller with 12. Outside hitter Aaron Koubi and middle blocker Scott Stadick each added nine kills. Setter Dante Chakravorti recorded 43 set assists and a team-high eight digs.  

UCLA hit .455 for the match, the best hitting percentage against the Anteaters this season. Four Bruins recorded double-figure kills led by Christian Hessenauer with 15. JT Hatch and Daenan Gyimah delivered 14 kills with Gyimah hitting .619 (14-1-21). Dylan Missry added 13 kills, while Micha Ma'a totaled 56 set assists.

UCI controlled much of the first set until a 6-0 run by the Bruins put UCLA in command 19-15. UCI would get within two several times, but the Bruins would go on to win the set 25-21. UCLA hit .577 (18-3-26) in the first stanza.

In the second set, a pair of Bruin kills and two Daenan Gyimah aces gave UCLA set point 24-21. After a Scott Stadick kill for UCI, a kill by Oliver Martin ended the set 25-22.

UCI won the third set 25-18, hitting .500 (10-1-18). UCI jumped out to a 4-1 lead with the help of two Apfelbach kills. The Bruins would tie the set at 4-4, but UCI would answer with the next two, the last a block by Matthew Younggren and Aaron Koubi (6-4) and never trail again. UCI had two kills by Apfelbach and one by Stadick to end the set.

The Bruins were hot to start the fourth set, hitting .800 (8-0-10) and holding an 11-7 advantage. Holding a 19-17 lead, UCLA would score three unanswered to move ahead 22-17 and go on to a 25-19 victory.

NOTES: UCI's 4 blocks is a season-low for the Anteaters…the previous low was 5 against UCLA Jan. 10…It's the third time this year, UCI has only had one ace…both of UCI losses this season are to UCLA…Stadick has recorded nine or more kills in six of the last seven matches...UCI is third in the country in average attendance...tonight's crowd of 2,105 is a season-high.