Box Score IRVINE, Calif. – Opposite Karl Apfelbach led No. 4 UC Irvine with 20 kills in a 3-1 loss to No. 1 Long Beach State (18-25, 21-25, 25-22, 20-25) at the Bren Events Center Saturday.

UCI (17-6, 3-3) hit a season-low .188 (50-26-128) and was out-blocked 14.5 to 8.5.

Apfelbach recorded 14 of this match-high 20 kills in the final two sets. The junior also had a team-best five block assists. Outside Aaron Koubi added 10 kills, while Joel Schnedimiller had nine. Middle blockers Scott Stadick and Austin Wilmot both had five kills and four blocks. David Parker totaled a match-high 13 digs and setter Dante Chakravorti recorded 41 set assists and seven digs.

Long Beach State (21-0, 6-0) was led by TJ DeFalco and Kyle Ensing with 19 and 18 kills, respectively. Ensing also had a team-high 10 digs and five blocks.

Long Beach State jumped out to an early 9-3 lead in the first set and continued to roll until UCI made a move with kills by Karl Apfelbach and Aaron Koubi and a setting error by Josh Tuaniga to close to 17-13. A Forty-Niner timeout stopped the momentum and LBSU went on to win the set 25-18.

UCI held a 12-9 lead in the second set, but Long Beach scored four in a row, including two blocks to take a 13-12 advantage. After a UCI point, two more LBSU kills moved the Forty-Niners in front for the final time. A kill by Kyle Ensign and two UCI attack errors gave Long Beach the 21-17 lead and they would win the set on three consecutive UCI errors, 25-21.

In the third set, a LBSU service error, an Apfelbach kill, an ace by Joel Schneidmiller and a Forty-Niner attack error put the Anteaters in front 13-10. Two more errors by Long Beach and an ace by Koubi increased the lead to 18-14. LBSU would close to 19-18, but a pair of Apfelbach kills put UCI back in control 21-18. A kill by Koubi gave UCI the set 25-22.

Three straight points gave Long Beach a 10-8 lead in the fourth set. UCI get no closer than two the rest of the way with LBSU winning 25-20.

UCI returns to action next Friday (Apr. 6) when they entertain CSUN at 7:00 p.m. in the Bren Events Center.

NOTES: It is the first time in 12 matches that the Anteaters have been out-blocked…the Anteaters' 26 attack errors are the most this season…UCI hit .192 (99-49-260) over the last two matches…UCI is the only team to take three sets off the 49ers this year… It is the fourth time this season, Apfelbach has recorded 20 or more kills.