IRVINE, Calif. – Four Anteater players recorded kills in double-figures as No. 8 UC Irvine beat No. 11 Loyola Chicago, 3-1 (18-25, 28-26, 25-19, 25-22) at the Bren Events Center Friday.

Outside hitter Joel Schneidmiller and opposite Alexandre Nsakanda led the Anteaters with 13 kills each. Schneidmiller also had a match and career-high 12 digs.

Outside hitter JB Kam also recorded a double-double with a career-best 11 kills and 10 digs plus two aces, while middle blocker Scott Stadick had a season-high 11 kills to go with a season-high 10 total blocks (2 solo, 8 assists).  

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
> AJ Faille posted a career-high for the second consecutive night with 11 digs
>UCI (2-1) out-blocked the Ramblers 12-9.5 and hit .316 (56-14-133) to Loyola's .248 (57-22-141
>Loyola's Cole Schothauer had a match-best 21 kills, 11 digs and five blocks

TURNING POINTS
FIRST SET
>The Ramblers made the first move, going up 14-12 on a pair of kills
>That was all Loyola needed as they won the set 25-18 on the strength of five aces

SECOND SET
>Loyola would jump ahead 18-16 before the Anteaters would go on a 4-0 run behind the tough serving of Joel Schneidmiller
>A huge block by Loyola on a broken play knotted the score at 23-23 and a kill on the next play would give the Ramblers set point, 24-23
>UCI would fight off three set points before two blocks by Scott Stadick assisted by Nsakanda and Schneidmiller, respectively to give UCI the 28-26 victory

THIRD SET
>UCI broke open the set on a 7-0 run. Stadick dominated with two solo blocks and two kills
>UCI held set point (24-16) only to watch Lewis score three unanswered before Schneidmiller closed the set with a kill, 25-19

FOURTH SET
>Loyola opened up a 13-10 lead then the Anteaters tied it at 14-14 on a Schneidmiller kill
>A kill by Stadick and JB Kam was followed by a Nsakanda kill to give the Anteaters a 19-17 advantage
>With the score tied at 20-20 a kill by Kam and a Flyer attack error helped UCI to a 22-20 lead
>The Anteaters would not relinquish the lead and win the match 25-22 on another Schneidmiller kill

NOTES
>UCI evens the series record with Loyola to 6-6
>Middle blocker Sean Dennis had a career-best seven kills

UP NEXT
>UCI will host Stanford next Friday (Jan. 17) at 7:00 p.m. at the Bren Events Center.