Box Score IRVINE, Calif. – Behind career-high performances by Idara Akpakpa and Loryn Carter, UC Irvine beat Pepperdine, 3-1 (21-25, 25-22, 25-19, 25-22) in a non-conference match at the Bren Events Center Wednesday.

The Anteaters are 4-6 overall, snapping the Waves two-match winning streak (6-4).

COACH HAIN SAYS
"Our defense is improving and we are improving as a team. This was a good win for us."

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
>UCI out-blocked the Waves 14-5. The 14 blocks tied the season-high
>Senior middle blocker Idara Akpakpa had a career-high eight block assists and nine total blocks
>Outside hitter Loryn Carter led the Anteaters in kills for the sixth time this season with a career-high 16 kills. Carter also had a career best two solo blocks and five total blocks

TURNING POINTS
SET 1
>A solo block by Loryn Carter capped a 5-0 run by UC Irvine to take a 9-5 lead
>Pepperdine quickly returned the favor and took a 12-10 advantage
>A kill and ace by Abby Marjama plus a kill by Carter knotted the set at 19-19
>The Waves ended the set on a 5-1 run to win 25-21

SET 2
>UCI started the second set 3-0 on a kill by Idara Akpakpa and a solo block by Carter and a Wave attack error
>A pair of kills, an ace and a block put the Waves in front 11-8
>UCI battled back to take the lead on two kills by Makayla Wolfe, one by Harlee Kekauoha and an ace by Haley DeSales, 16-14
>After Pepperdine tied the set at 18s, UCI scored the next two on a Wave service error and a block by Carter, 20-18
>The score would be tied at 21-21, a Pepperdine service error, an ace by Ali Koumelis and a block by Akpakpa and Kekauoha gave UCI set point, 24-22
>Following a Pepperdine kill, a service error handed the Anteaters the 25-22 victory
>The Anteaters had five blocks and three aces in the set

SET 3
>UCI kept rolling, jumping out to a 7-1 lead on .800 hitting (4-0-5) and two blocks
>Back-to-back kills by Marjama and Kekauoha extended the margin to 12-3
>Pepperdine would get as close as 23-19 on a Shannon Scully kill, but a kill by Akpakpa and Kekauoha ended the set 25-19
>The Anteaters added another five blocks in that frame

SET 4
>Two more Anteater blocks and an ace by Ali Koumelis vaulted UCI out to a 6-2 lead
>A 3-0 spurt that included kills by Marjama and Kekauoha and a Wave attack error moved the UCI advantage to 10-4
>Hannah Froling put Pepperdine on her back with four kills to get the Waves within 18-17
>A kill by Kekauoha and a Wave attack in the net gave UCI some breathing room 22-19
>UCI ended the match with consecutive kills by Kekauoha and Sophie Wood, 25-22

NOTES
>The Anteaters eight aces were the second most this season, with four different players recording an ace, led by Koumelis with three
>Koumelis recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 36 set assists and 11 digs
>Haley DeSales recorded 22 digs, the fourth time she has collected 20 or more digs
>Kekauoha joined the block party with a season-high five block assists

UP NEXT
UCI will play Fresno State Friday at 3:00 p.m. in a neutral site match at the Walter Pyramid as part of the LBSU/UCI Invitational.