Box Score LONG BEACH, Calif. – Opposite Harlee Kekauoha had a season-high 14 kills to lead UC Irvine to 3-0 (25-13, 26-24, 25-19) victory over Fresno State at the Walter Pyramid as part of the LBSU/UCI Invitational.

The Anteaters win their second match of the week and improve to 5-6 overall. Fresno State is 8-5 on the year.

COACH HAIN SAID
"Our seniors played like seniors in the comeback in the second set. They stayed poised and confident and executed the plays they know how to execute. That's the best I think we have played together this season and we keep continuing to get better."

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
>Kekuaoha led the Anteaters for the first time this season with the season-high 14 kills
>Outside hitter Loryn Carter followed with 10 kills, hitting .296 (10-2-27)
>The Anteaters out-hit FSU .254-.170
>Aubrey Folk came off the bench to hit .458 and lead Fresno State with 12 kills

TURNING POINTS
SET 1
>Energy was high to start the match as UCI had a kill by Harlee Kekauoha, a solo block by Loryn Carter, a block by Kekuoha and Idara Akpakpa, two kills by Akpakpa and an ace by Ali Koumelis to begin with a 6-0 lead
>The Anteaters would extend the lead to 13-2 on a Haley DeSales ace
>FSU would score four in a row to close to 23-12, but a kill by Kekauoha and Marjama would close out the set 25-13

SET 2
>The Bulldogs controlled the second set, jumping out to a 5-0 lead
>A block by Akpakpa and Ali Koumelis started a 3-0 spurt for UCI to get the Anteaters back in the game, 5-3
>A 5-1 run by UCI which included an ace by Marjama that dribbled over the tape pulled the Anteaters within 12-11 then a kill by Makayla Wolfe and a Bulldog attack error evened the set at 13-13
>Fresno State used a kill and an Anteater attack error to sneak ahead 20-18 and would out-score UCI 4-2 to hold set point 24-20
>The Anteaters would rally scoring six straight, including three kills by Akpakpa to win the set 26-24

SET 3
>A kill by Kekauoha and two by Carter plus a Marjama ace and a Bulldog attack error gave UCI a 9-5 advantage
> A 4-2 run by UCI which was capped by a Wolfe kill on an overpass extended the Anteaters' lead to 17-12
>A kill by Marjama ended the match 25-19

NOTES
>UCI has won two in a row and four of the last five outings
>Marjama had three aces and leads the Big West with 24 on the year. She has recorded two or more aces five times this season
>DeSales continued her streak of 10 straight matches with double-figure digs, recording a match-high 17 digs versus the Bulldogs
>It is the third sweep of the season for the Anteaters

UP NEXT
UCI will entertain Southern Utah tomorrow (Sept. 15) at 2:00 p.m. at the Bren Events Center