IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine women's volleyball team put on a show in its Big West home opener, defeating UC Davis, 3-1 (26-24, 18-25, 25-23, 25-22), Friday evening in front of a crowd of 781 at the Bren Events Center.
 
The Anteaters improved to 9-4 overall and 2-1 in conference play. The Aggies fell to 5-9 overall and 1-2 in Big West action.

Sophomore Joy Umeh led the way with a career-high 20 kills, six of which came in the first 10 points of the fourth set. Sophomore Onye Ofoegbu also had 16 kills on a .600 clip (16-1-25), while adding a match-high six block assists.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
> UCI outblocked UCD, 11-to-6.
> The 'Eaters also held the advantage in kills (61-59) and digs (61-53).
> Sophomore Kelly Negron dished out a team-high 28 assists.
> Freshmen Indy Desmet and Carly Richter both notched their first collegiate double-doubles.
> Desmet finished with 19 assists and a career-best 14 digs, while Richter had career-highs of 10 assists and 16 digs.
> Freshman Marianna Bertolone contributed nine kills and seven digs.
> Freshman Ellen Veargason and sophomore Kiani Stanton both matched their season highs with five block assists each.
> Lana Radakovic paced UC Davis with 17 kills.
 
TURNING POINTS
FIRST SET
> UC Irvine raced out to a 9-5 lead following back-to-back kills from Umeh and Stanton.
> UC Davis would close the gap to two before scoring four unanswered to go up, 13-11.
> Ofoegbu ended the Aggies' rally with an emphatic kill and it proceeded to go back-and-forth.
> UCI then used a 7-2 spurt, capped by a Grace Colburn kill, for a 22-18 advantage.
> UCD wouldn't go down quietly, however, bouncing back to take set point at 24-23.
> After a timeout, the 'Eaters turned the tables with kills from Ofoegbu and Bertolone.
> The home team then ended the set at 26-24 on a double block by Veargarson and Ofoegbu.
 
SECOND SET
> The two teams were locked in a tight battle with nine ties to start the second set.
> UC Davis then created some separation, pulling ahead, 15-12.
> Consecutive kills from Umeh made it a one-point game, but the Aggies responded with an 8-3 run to go up, 23-17.
> They would hold on for the 25-18 victory to tie the match up at one-set apiece.
 
THIRD SET
> UC Davis kept the momentum in the third frame, taking a 12-5 lead.
> The Anteaters were down, but not out, as they chipped away, using a 5-0 rally to close the gap to two (12-10).
> The Aggies went back on top by four before another 5-1 UCI run, capped by an Ofoegbu kill, knotted the score at 16-all.
> The two teams saw five more ties down the stretch.
> A UCD hitting error and a double block by Veargarson/Ofoegbu eventually gave the 'Eaters the 25-23 win.
 
FOURTH SET
> Umeh caught fire in the fourth as her six kills early in the set sparked UC Irvine to an 8-2 lead.
> The Anteaters kept their foot on the gas, pulling ahead, 15-6, on a Sofia Skukan ace.
> The Aggies then came alive with five-straight kills cutting the deficit to 15-11.
> The visitors extended that into an 11-2 run to tie it up at 17-17.
> The teams then traded points before an Ofoegbu block started a 5-1 spurt that gave UCI match point at 24-20.
> A Veargarson kill would then end it at 25-22.
 
NOTES
> UC Irvine is now 4-1 on its home floor.
> The Anteaters improved to 19-15 in their all-time series with UC Davis.
> Ofoegbu, who entered the match ranked 11th in the country in hitting percentage at .437, improved her season mark to .451.
 
UP NEXT
> UCI is back in the Bren tomorrow, hosting UC Riverside in Big West action. First serve is set for 5 p.m.