Box Score SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – UC Irvine opened the Big West schedule with a 3-1 (25-19, 29-27, 11-25, 26-24) victory over UC Santa Barbara at the Thunderdome Tuesday night.

It is the first win to open Big West play since 2012 when UCI beat UC Santa Barbara at home 3-1.

UCI extends its winning streak to four straight and improves to 7-6 overall. UCSB loses its first match at home (3-1) and is 8-5 overall.

COACH ASHLIE HAIN SAID
"Our team was resilient tonight and showed great composure with a rowdy student section. I'm proud of how we continue to improve."

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
>UCSB led UCI in kills (60-49), aces (8-5), digs (76-65) and hitting percentage (.234-.227), but the Anteaters held an 8.5-5 advantage in blocks.
>Libero Haley DeSales had a career-high 25 digs in the win
>Freshman Abby Marjama and senior Idara Akpakpa had a team-high 12 kills with Akpakpa recording a match-best six block assists
>Lindsey Ruddins had a match-high 23 kills to go with 18 digs

TURNING POINTS
SET 1
>UCI trailed 14-9 early then rallied with the next seven points to take a 15-14 lead. UCI spread the offense around in that run with kills coming from Harlee Kekauoha, Loryn Carter and two from Idara Akpakpa
>Another kill by Carter started a 6-1 spurt that included a block by Kekauoha and Akpakpa and two kills by Abby Marjama to push UCI out to an 21-16 lead
>A missed UCSB attack gave the Anteaters the set 25-19

SET 2
>Once again UCI started in a 10-5 hole, but scored the next five on two Akpakpa kills and three Gaucho errors to knot the score at 10-10
>The Anteaters seemed to be in the driver's seat as they led 24-20 only to watch the Gauchos score the next five to turn the tables, 25-24
>The teams would trade points until consecutive UCSB attack errors handed UCI the 29-27 victory

SET 3
>The third set was all UCSB as the Gauchos jumped out to a 13-1 lead and never looked back taking the game 25-11

SET 4
>UCI opened the fourth set scoring the first four points, three on Gaucho attack errors and an Ali Koumelis ace.
>A UCSB service error was combined with a kill by Akpakpa and a triple block by Carter, Akpakpa and Kekauoha to give UCI a 14-8 advantage.
>A kill by Marjama and a Gaucho attack that sailed long was followed by an ace by Kekauoha to give UCI a 19-16 lead
>The lead was short lived as UCSB knotted the score at 19 all
>The next two points were UCI's then the next three went to UCSB,  giving the Gauchos their first lead of the set, 22-21 lead and forced a UCI timeout
>A kill by Makayla Wolfe and another by Sophie Wood on an overpass put UCI on top 23-22, but UCSB would answer and the teams would match points until a Gaucho service error was followed by the match-winning kill by Marjama, 26-24

NOTES
>DeSales has posted 20 or more digs in five matches
>It is the fourth time Marjama has recorded double-figures and was one shy of her career-high
>It is the fifth time this season UCI has out-blocked an opponent
>Setter Ali Koumelis had her fifth double-double of the season with 39 set assists and 11 digs

UP NEXT
>UCI will host Hawaii on Sunday (Sept. 23) at 3:00 p.m. in the Bren Events Center. The match will be streamed by ESPN3