UC Irvine (2-2) at
BYU (6-2)
Date: Friday, Feb. 15
Time: 4:30 p.m. PT
Location: Provo, Utah

UC Irvine (2-2) at Weber State (2-7)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 16
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Ogden, Utah

UC Irvine (0-2) vs. Idaho State (2-3)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 16
Time: 4 p.m.
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah

Following the victory against San Francisco on Saturday, UC Irvine has rebounded from back-to-back losses to open the season and evened their record at 2-2. The Anteaters will travel to Utah for a full weekend slate of matches, starting with BYU at 4:30 p.m. (PST) on Friday. They will then have a Saturday doubleheader, taking on Weber State at 9 a.m. (PST) and Idaho State in a neutral-site match at 5 p.m. (PST).

STORYLINES
• Senior Sasha Krasnov has gotten off to a hot start in 2019 as he is 3-0 in dual-match singles.
• On Feb. 1, he played at No. 1 for the first time in his UCI career and earned a 7-6, 6-3 win to remain undefeated.
• UC Irvine welcomes back seven letterwinners from a 2017-18 squad that finished with a 16-12 record.
• The 'Eaters made their fourth-straight appearance in the Big West semifinals last year.
• Senior Luis Lopez earned first-team All-Big West accolades in singles play with a 15-8 record.
• Thirteen of his 15 dual-match wins came at the No. 1 position.
• Lopez played most of the doubles season alongside junior Daniel Gealer.
• The duo received an All-Big West Honorable Mention nod after going 10-5 in dual matches.
• Gealer, a junior transfer from UCLA, tied Lopez for the team lead with 15 wins in singles play.
• Senior Sasha Krasnov garnered 2018 All-Big West Honorable Mention recognition in singles.
• Krasnov went 11-10, and put together a six-match winning streak in the month of March.
• Senior Vatsal Bajpai and junior Bruce Man-Son-Hing took home 2018 first-team All-Big West honors in doubles.
• Graduate student Mason Hansen earned his second-straight All-Big West Second Team award in doubles.
• Hansen compiled nine wins at the No. 1 spot with recent graduate Luca Marquard.
• UCI was a 2017-18 ITA All-Academic Team with six players earning individual Scholar-Athlete honors.
• Head coach Mike Saunders is in his fourth year at the helm and boasts a 44-38 career record at UCI.
 
LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine lifted their record back to .500 by defeating San Francisco 4-1 at home. The Anteaters were off to a good start, with Luis Lopez and Bruce Man-Son-Hing winning their No. 3 doubles match against David Woodland/Nitzan Ricklis, 6-3. However, the Dons won the next two doubles matches to take the early lead. The 'Eaters would then bounce back in singles play, winning their first four matches in straight sets to secure the victory. Daniel Gealer got things started with a 6-4, 6-4 triumph over Oz Daniel. Mason Hansen and Mateusz Smolicki continued the momentum, with Hansen defeating Ricklis, 7-6, 6-0, and Smolicki beating Paul Giraud, 6-4, 7-6. Vatsal Bajpai sealed the win for the Anteaters, topping Woodland, 6-2, 6-4. San Francisco dropped to 1-3 for the season.
 
EARLY HIGHLIGHTS
Senior Sasha Krasnov continued his strong play in dual singles action, as he improved to 3-0 after his victory on Feb. 1. It was his first career win from the No. 1 position, and it came against Saint Mary's Damon Kesaris, who had been named to the All-WCC Preseason Men's Team. Sophomore transfer Mateusz Smolicki won his second-straight match with a 6-4, 7-6 triumph over Paul Girard of San Francisco last week. He is tied with freshman Aaron Bailey and senior Mason Hanssen for second on the team with two victories. Junior Daniel Gealer and Mason Hansen have led the way in doubles at 3-1, suffering their first loss of the year against USF on Feb. 9.

GET TO KNOW THE NEWCOMERS
UC Irvine welcomes two freshmen and one transfer in 2018-19. Sophomore Mateusz Smolicki (Warsaw, Poland) played at USC in 2017-18 when the Trojans went 20-9 overall and finished the campaign ranked 11th in the nation. Smolicki adds to the Anteaters' current international talent of Antoine Barthe (France) and Sasha Krasnov (Ukraine).
 
Freshman Aaron Bailey joins the 'Eaters from Las Vegas, Nev., where he helped Faith Lutheran High School to a state title. Fellow freshman Mike Mkrtchian made the trip down the 5 Freeway from Reseda, Calif. Mkrtchian was ranked among the top-five in the Southern California sectional rankings and was among the top-75 in the national rankings.
 
VERSUS THE OPPONENTS
BYU (6-2) has won its last three matches and will host New Mexico before taking on the Anteaters. Weber State (2-7) defeated Colorado Mesa and Gonzaga for its first two wins of the season last week, while Idaho State (2-5) split with the same two teams, sweeping the Mavs, before falling to the 'Zags.
 
Since 1996-97, UCI is 4-3 against BYU. Last year, the 'Eaters topped the Cougars, 4-1, at home. They also swept Weber State back in 2016, while Saturday will mark the first meeting between UC Irvine and Idaho State.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
Next week, the Anteaters will return home for a single match against Pacific on Friday, Feb. 22. First serve is set for 1 p.m.