Black & Blue Rivalry Starts In Irvine
March 26, 2019 | Men's Volleyball
THIS WEEK
No. 2 Long Beach State at No. 7 UC Irvine · Friday, Mar. 29 · 7:00 p.m. · Bren Events Center
Live Stats
Watch: ESPN3
No. 7 UC Irvine at No. 2 Long Beach State · Saturday, Mar. 30 · 7:00 p.m. · Walter Pyramid
Live Stats
No. 7 UC Irvine and No. 2 Long Beach State will battle in a pair of Black & Blue Rivalry matches this week, starting in Irvine on Friday (Mar. 29) at the Bren Events Center. The teams will meet Saturday (Mar. 30) at the Walter Pyramid. Both matches begin at 7:00 p.m.
UCI currently leads the rivalry series, 17-9 after 11 events.
ABOUT THE FORTY-NINERS
Second-ranked Long Beach State is 19-1 overall and 4-0 in the Big West.
The Beach is coming off a 3-0 loss at USC Saturday, their first defeat of the season.
They are a perfect 8-0 at home.
The Forty-Niners have won the last seven meetings with the Anteaters. UCI's last win was Apr. 3, 2015 in a 3-1 victory at the Bren Center.
Last season Koubi recorded a career-high 21 kills in the first meeting in Long Beach, while Karl Apfelbach had 20 the next night in Irvine.
ABOUT THE ANTEATERS
UCI is 14-7 overall and looking to stop a two-match losing skid.
Last week, UCI was swept by No. 4 Pepperdine on the road.
After going 15-2 to start the year, the Anteaters have dropped five of the last six matches.
Middle blockers Scott Stadick and Austn Wilmot led the Anteaters with a team-high seven kills. Wilmot hit .636 (70-11) and Stadick had a match-high four block assists.
UCI dropped a spot and sits at No. 7 in the AVCA rankings.
UCI is 4-2 at home and 8-5 on the road this year.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
UCI ranks eighth in the country in assists (12.09) and in kills (12.78).
They are second in the Big West in blocks (2.36) and third in digs (8.70) and hitting percentage (.310).
WILMOT RISING
Sophomore Austin Wilmot has led the team in kills the last two matches, averaging 2.33 per set.
He is averaging 1.57 kills and 0.91 blocks on the season. His 0.91 blocking average ranks seventh best among Big West players.
OFFENSIVE ATTACK
Joel Schneidmiller leads the Anteaters with a 3.64 kill average, which is third best in the Big West. He is second in aces (0.56) and points (4.51) among conference players. The sophomore is also eighth in hitting percentage (.316) and digs (1.55).
Karl Apfelbach is second with a 2.76 kill average followed by Aaron Koubi who owns a 2.53 kill average. The outside hitter is ninth in the Big West with a 1.53 dig mark.
Alexandre Nsakanda has played in 40 sets and is averaging 1.60 kills per set from the right side.
IN THE MIDDLE
Junior Scott Stadick is second in the Big West in blocking with a 1.25 average. He also averages a 1.60 kill average with a .414 hitting percentage.
The middle blocker ranks third all-time in UCI career solo blocks with 66 and is currently ninth in block assists with 308. He is five away from Scott Kevorken's (2011-14) mark of 313.
No. 2 Long Beach State at No. 7 UC Irvine · Friday, Mar. 29 · 7:00 p.m. · Bren Events Center
Live Stats
Watch: ESPN3
No. 7 UC Irvine at No. 2 Long Beach State · Saturday, Mar. 30 · 7:00 p.m. · Walter Pyramid
Live Stats
No. 7 UC Irvine and No. 2 Long Beach State will battle in a pair of Black & Blue Rivalry matches this week, starting in Irvine on Friday (Mar. 29) at the Bren Events Center. The teams will meet Saturday (Mar. 30) at the Walter Pyramid. Both matches begin at 7:00 p.m.
UCI currently leads the rivalry series, 17-9 after 11 events.
ABOUT THE FORTY-NINERS
Second-ranked Long Beach State is 19-1 overall and 4-0 in the Big West.
The Beach is coming off a 3-0 loss at USC Saturday, their first defeat of the season.
They are a perfect 8-0 at home.
The Forty-Niners have won the last seven meetings with the Anteaters. UCI's last win was Apr. 3, 2015 in a 3-1 victory at the Bren Center.
Last season Koubi recorded a career-high 21 kills in the first meeting in Long Beach, while Karl Apfelbach had 20 the next night in Irvine.
ABOUT THE ANTEATERS
UCI is 14-7 overall and looking to stop a two-match losing skid.
Last week, UCI was swept by No. 4 Pepperdine on the road.
After going 15-2 to start the year, the Anteaters have dropped five of the last six matches.
Middle blockers Scott Stadick and Austn Wilmot led the Anteaters with a team-high seven kills. Wilmot hit .636 (70-11) and Stadick had a match-high four block assists.
UCI dropped a spot and sits at No. 7 in the AVCA rankings.
UCI is 4-2 at home and 8-5 on the road this year.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
UCI ranks eighth in the country in assists (12.09) and in kills (12.78).
They are second in the Big West in blocks (2.36) and third in digs (8.70) and hitting percentage (.310).
WILMOT RISING
Sophomore Austin Wilmot has led the team in kills the last two matches, averaging 2.33 per set.
He is averaging 1.57 kills and 0.91 blocks on the season. His 0.91 blocking average ranks seventh best among Big West players.
OFFENSIVE ATTACK
Joel Schneidmiller leads the Anteaters with a 3.64 kill average, which is third best in the Big West. He is second in aces (0.56) and points (4.51) among conference players. The sophomore is also eighth in hitting percentage (.316) and digs (1.55).
Karl Apfelbach is second with a 2.76 kill average followed by Aaron Koubi who owns a 2.53 kill average. The outside hitter is ninth in the Big West with a 1.53 dig mark.
Alexandre Nsakanda has played in 40 sets and is averaging 1.60 kills per set from the right side.
IN THE MIDDLE
Junior Scott Stadick is second in the Big West in blocking with a 1.25 average. He also averages a 1.60 kill average with a .414 hitting percentage.
The middle blocker ranks third all-time in UCI career solo blocks with 66 and is currently ninth in block assists with 308. He is five away from Scott Kevorken's (2011-14) mark of 313.
Players Mentioned
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