Anteaters Face Tritons To Open Big West Championship
April 15, 2018 | Men's Volleyball
BIG WEST CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 3 UC Irvine vs No. 6 UC San Diego
Thursday, April 19, 2018
5:00 p.m. - Walter Pyramid - Long Beach, Calif.
Big West Championship Central
Third-seed UC Irvine opens postseason play against sixth-seeded UC San Diego at the inaugural Big West Championship Thursday (Apr. 19) at the Walter Pyramid.
Watch live on ESPN3
The winner of the contest advances to the semifinals Friday for a 5:00 p.m. showdown with second-seed Hawaii. Top-seeded Long Beach waits for the winner of Thursday's 7:30 match between No. 4 CSUN and No. 5 UC Santa Barbara in another semifinal Friday at 7:30 p.m. The championship will be held Saturday at 7:00 p.m.
VERSUS THE TRITONS: UCI has won 15 straight versus the Tritons, including a 3-0 victory this year in Irvine and a 3-2 win in La Jolla.
This will be the first time UCI has faced UC San Diego in the postseason.
UC San Diego 9-18 overall and looking for their first win against a Big West opponent this year (0-10).
REGULAR SEASON REWIND: In the first two meetings, UCI out-blocked UCSD 30-10 and out-dug the Tritons 90-68. The Anteaters struggled offensively, hitting .286 over the eight sets. The only team that UCI struggled against more was in the series versus Long Beach State (.192).
Joel Schneidmiller led the Anteaters versus UCSD, averaging 3.62 kills and 0.88 blocks. Karl Apfelbach averaged 3.00 kills and 1.50 blocks, while Austin Wilmot had a nation's best 13 total blocks in the second meeting with the Tritons.
TOURNEY TIME: The Anteaters have won a conference tournament three times, capturing the MPSF championship title in 2007, 2012 and 2015. UCI has compiled a 16-13 post-season tournament record.
BY THE NUMBERS: UCI enters the tournament with a 20-8 overall record. The Anteaters have racked up 20 or more wins for the third time in the last four years.
The Anteaters tied Hawaii for second place with a 6-4 league record.
UCI is 9-4 at home, 8-4 on the road and 3-0 on a neutral court.
The Anteaters are 11-0 in three set matches, 5-4 in four sets and 4-4 in five sets.
STARTERS HONORED: All seven starters were honored by the Big West as all-conference. Scott Stadick, Karl Apfelbach and Aaron Koubi were named to the first team, while Dante Chakravorti and David Parker were honorable mention choices. Joel Schneidmiller and Austin Wilmot were named to the All-Freshman team with Schneidmiller bringing home Freshman of the Year honors.
Schneidmiller becomes the fourth Anteater to earn conference Freshman of the Year, joining Scott Stadick (2017), Carson Clark (2009) and Brent Asuka (2006).
Seven all-conference selections are the most for UCI in a season.
WALL AT THE NET: UCI leads the Big West and is fourth nationally in blocks with a 2.66 average. The Anteaters have out-blocked their opponent in 23 of 28 matches this season.
UCI had the nation's best blocking night, rejecting 22.5 versus Fort Wayne. The Anteaters also hold the No. 2 spot with 21.5 against UC San Diego on Mar. 16.
Middle blockers Scott Stadick and Austin Wilmot have locked down the net this season. Stadick leads the Big West and is second nationally with a 1.34 average. The sophomore broke his own school record for single season solo blocks with 28 currently and moved in to sixth in UCI career solo blocks with 53.
Wilmot had 13 total blocks against UCSD, which ranks among player around the country. He is averaging 1.20 blocks and 1.08 kills per set.
OFFENSIVE EFFICENCY: The Anteaters rank fifth nationally with a .330 hitting percentage. UCI has recorded a .400 or better night eight times this year, including a season's best .531 (41-7-64) at Stanford.
UCI holds the country's best hitting percentage for a five-set match with a .438 mark in the win over Grand Canyon.
The Anteaters rank fifth nationally in assists (11.95) and sixth in kills (12.62).
IN THE RANKINGS: UCI remained at No. 3 in the national rankings. No. 3 is the highest of the season with the Anteaters holding that spot for three weeks.
AT THE PINS: UCI has offensive power on the right side with Karl Apfelbach and on the left with Aaron Koubi and Joel Schneidmiller.
Apfelbach leads the team and ranks fourth in the Big West in kills (3.76) and points (4.50).
Koubi is second on the squad in kill average (2.84) and ranks fifth among Big West players in hitting percentage (.343). Schneidmiller is seventh in the conference in hitting percentage at .328 and third on the team kills with a 2.63 mark.
THE FACILITATOR: Setter Dante Chakravorti is second in the Big West and fifth in the country in set assists with a 10.56 average. The junior also averages 1.56 digs.
THE SCOOP: Libero David Parker leads the conference in digs with a 2.38 average. He has recorded digs in double figures 14 times, including six of the last eight matches. Parker has posted a season-high 14 twice this season.
No. 3 UC Irvine vs No. 6 UC San Diego
Thursday, April 19, 2018
5:00 p.m. - Walter Pyramid - Long Beach, Calif.
Big West Championship Central
Third-seed UC Irvine opens postseason play against sixth-seeded UC San Diego at the inaugural Big West Championship Thursday (Apr. 19) at the Walter Pyramid.
Watch live on ESPN3
The winner of the contest advances to the semifinals Friday for a 5:00 p.m. showdown with second-seed Hawaii. Top-seeded Long Beach waits for the winner of Thursday's 7:30 match between No. 4 CSUN and No. 5 UC Santa Barbara in another semifinal Friday at 7:30 p.m. The championship will be held Saturday at 7:00 p.m.
VERSUS THE TRITONS: UCI has won 15 straight versus the Tritons, including a 3-0 victory this year in Irvine and a 3-2 win in La Jolla.
This will be the first time UCI has faced UC San Diego in the postseason.
UC San Diego 9-18 overall and looking for their first win against a Big West opponent this year (0-10).
REGULAR SEASON REWIND: In the first two meetings, UCI out-blocked UCSD 30-10 and out-dug the Tritons 90-68. The Anteaters struggled offensively, hitting .286 over the eight sets. The only team that UCI struggled against more was in the series versus Long Beach State (.192).
Joel Schneidmiller led the Anteaters versus UCSD, averaging 3.62 kills and 0.88 blocks. Karl Apfelbach averaged 3.00 kills and 1.50 blocks, while Austin Wilmot had a nation's best 13 total blocks in the second meeting with the Tritons.
TOURNEY TIME: The Anteaters have won a conference tournament three times, capturing the MPSF championship title in 2007, 2012 and 2015. UCI has compiled a 16-13 post-season tournament record.
BY THE NUMBERS: UCI enters the tournament with a 20-8 overall record. The Anteaters have racked up 20 or more wins for the third time in the last four years.
The Anteaters tied Hawaii for second place with a 6-4 league record.
UCI is 9-4 at home, 8-4 on the road and 3-0 on a neutral court.
The Anteaters are 11-0 in three set matches, 5-4 in four sets and 4-4 in five sets.
STARTERS HONORED: All seven starters were honored by the Big West as all-conference. Scott Stadick, Karl Apfelbach and Aaron Koubi were named to the first team, while Dante Chakravorti and David Parker were honorable mention choices. Joel Schneidmiller and Austin Wilmot were named to the All-Freshman team with Schneidmiller bringing home Freshman of the Year honors.
Schneidmiller becomes the fourth Anteater to earn conference Freshman of the Year, joining Scott Stadick (2017), Carson Clark (2009) and Brent Asuka (2006).
Seven all-conference selections are the most for UCI in a season.
WALL AT THE NET: UCI leads the Big West and is fourth nationally in blocks with a 2.66 average. The Anteaters have out-blocked their opponent in 23 of 28 matches this season.
UCI had the nation's best blocking night, rejecting 22.5 versus Fort Wayne. The Anteaters also hold the No. 2 spot with 21.5 against UC San Diego on Mar. 16.
Middle blockers Scott Stadick and Austin Wilmot have locked down the net this season. Stadick leads the Big West and is second nationally with a 1.34 average. The sophomore broke his own school record for single season solo blocks with 28 currently and moved in to sixth in UCI career solo blocks with 53.
Wilmot had 13 total blocks against UCSD, which ranks among player around the country. He is averaging 1.20 blocks and 1.08 kills per set.
OFFENSIVE EFFICENCY: The Anteaters rank fifth nationally with a .330 hitting percentage. UCI has recorded a .400 or better night eight times this year, including a season's best .531 (41-7-64) at Stanford.
UCI holds the country's best hitting percentage for a five-set match with a .438 mark in the win over Grand Canyon.
The Anteaters rank fifth nationally in assists (11.95) and sixth in kills (12.62).
IN THE RANKINGS: UCI remained at No. 3 in the national rankings. No. 3 is the highest of the season with the Anteaters holding that spot for three weeks.
AT THE PINS: UCI has offensive power on the right side with Karl Apfelbach and on the left with Aaron Koubi and Joel Schneidmiller.
Apfelbach leads the team and ranks fourth in the Big West in kills (3.76) and points (4.50).
Koubi is second on the squad in kill average (2.84) and ranks fifth among Big West players in hitting percentage (.343). Schneidmiller is seventh in the conference in hitting percentage at .328 and third on the team kills with a 2.63 mark.
THE FACILITATOR: Setter Dante Chakravorti is second in the Big West and fifth in the country in set assists with a 10.56 average. The junior also averages 1.56 digs.
THE SCOOP: Libero David Parker leads the conference in digs with a 2.38 average. He has recorded digs in double figures 14 times, including six of the last eight matches. Parker has posted a season-high 14 twice this season.
Players Mentioned
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Outside Hitter
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