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CSU Bakersfield vs UC Irvine
Friday, Oct. 22 | 5:00 PM | Icardo Center
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UC Irvine at Cal Poly
Saturday, Oct. 23 | 2:00 PM | Mott Athletics Center
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FIRST SERVE
The Anteaters hit the road this week for a pair of matches. UCI will travel to CSU Bakersfield Friday (Oct. 22) for a 5:00 p.m. match at the Icardo Center then head to Cal Poly Saturday (Oct. 23) for a 2:00 p.m. match at the Mott Athletics Center.

STORYLINES
UCI is fourth in the Big West with a 5-3 record.

The Anteaters are 12-6 overall, the most overall wins by a Big West team this season. 

UCI has won 12 or more matches in all but one of head coach Ashlie Hain's six years.

UCI is 4-0 all-time against the Roadrunners.

Last time the two teams met, CSU Bakersfield outlasted UC Irvine, 3-2 at the 2018 UCI/adidas Invitational at the Bren Events Center.

CSUB is 10-6 on the year and 3-5 against Big West teams.

The Roadrunners have dropped the last two matches, being swept at Cal Poly and Hawaii last week.

Cal Poly enters the week 8-11 overall and 6-2 in the Big West.

The Mustangs have won four of its last five matches and currently in third place in the Big West standings.

Cal Poly is coming off a 3-0 loss at Hawaii. The only other loss Cal Poly has suffered has been a sweep at home to UC Santa Barbara.

The Anteaters have lost the last 10 matches against the Mustangs, winning only three sets in that span. UCI's last win came in 2014 when they won both meetings.

Last week, UCI fell at Cal State Fullerton, 0-3 before returning to the Bren for a big Black & Blue Rivalry victory over Long Beach State, 3-2.

The Anteaters battled back, winning the last two sets on the strength of 12 blocks and eight aces. The blocks and aces are the second highest totals of the year for UCI.
Against the Titans, UCI hit .186 and didn't have an ace for the first time this year.

Umeh led the Anteaters in both matches with 15 kills against the Titans and 26 versus LBSU.
 
UMEH HONORED
Sophomore Joy Umeh was honored as Big West Offensive Player of the Week after a career-high performance in a win over Long Beach State.

The outside hitter averaged 5.13 kills per set last week, putting away a career-high and Big West-best 26 kills in the Black & Blue Rivalry win. Against The Beach, she hit .333 plus added five digs and three blocks.

She has recorded kills in double figures 14 times this season, including 20 or more twice.

Umeh started the week with a team-high 15 kills versus Cal State Fullerton, hitting .419 (15-2-31).

On the season, Umeh ranks third in kills (3.63) and points (4.05) among Big West players.

OFOEGBU AT THE NET
Middle blocker Onye Ofoegbu leads the Big West and is 21^st nationally in blocking with a 1.36 average.

The sophomore had a career-high nine block assists in the win over LBSU. She added an ace and 15 kills in the victory. Against Cal State Fullerton, Ofoegbu totaled 10 kills.

She has recorded seven or more blocks five times this season, including a personal best 10 total blocks (2 solo, eight assisted) versus Lafayette on Sept. 11.

Ofoegbu ranks third in the Big West in hitting percentage (.401), sixth in kills (3.13) and fourth in points (4.03).

The middle blocker owns the league's top hitting percentage for a match with .786 performance versus Sacred Heart.

ON THE RECORD
UCI Is 4-2 on the road this season. The Anteaters are 3-4 when playing on Friday and 6-2 on Saturdays.

AROUND THE BIG WEST
Sophomore Kelly Negron is 10^th in set assists (5.82), while freshman Carly Richter is 10^th (0.28) in aces and 14^th in digs (3.24).

Freshman Grace Colburn is 12^th (0.25) in aces and freshman Ellen Veargason is 10^th in blocks (0.90).

The Anteaters are second in hitting percentage (.234) and third in blocks (2.28) and opponents' hitting percentage (.201).

LOOKING AHEAD
UCI returns to the Bren Events Center next week to start the second half of the conference schedule, entertaining UC Santa Barbara Oct. 29 and CSUN Oct. 30.