FOLLOW THE ANTEATERS
UC Irvine at UC San Diego
Tuesday, Oct. 5 | 7:00 PM | RIMAC Arena
Live Stats    ESPN+

Hawaii at UC Irvine
Saturday, Oct. 9 | 5:00 PM | Bren Events Center
Live Stats    ESPN+
 
FIRST SERVE
UC Irvine will start the week on the road, playing at UC San Diego Tuesday (Oct. 5) in a 7:00 p.m. match at the RIMAC Arena.

The Anteaters return home Saturday (Oct. 9) to host Hawaii at 5:00 p.m. at the Bren Events Center.

Please note: Proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test within 72 hours is required to enter the Bren Events Center. Attendance Policy for Women's Volleyball.

STORYLINES
UCI is 10-4 overall, the best start since 2017. 10 wins are the most by a Big West team this season.
 
The Anteaters are 3-1 in the Big West and on a two-match winning streak. UCI has won six of the last seven outings.
 
UC San Diego is 6-9 overall and 3-1 in the Big West.
 
The Tritons have won three straight including 3-1 victories over UC Riverside and UC Davis last weekend.
 
The Anteaters hold a 4-0 series record lead over the Tritons, but all previous meetings came from 1981-83.
 
Hawaii is 7-5 overall and 4-0 in Big West action. They are 2-2 on the road.
 
The Rainbow Wahine beat Long Beach State (3-0) and Cal State Fullerton (3-2) at home last week. 
 
In 2019, the teams split a pair of matches. Hawaii won 3-0 in Irvine and UCI won 3-2 at the Stan Sheriff Center.
 
In the last meeting, the Anteaters beat No. 11 Hawaii after trailing 0-2. It was the first win ever against the Rainbow Wahine (1-41) and was Hawaii's only loss that season at home. The loss was one of only four Hawaii suffered in 2019.
 
In that win over Hawaii, Onye Ofoegbu had 13 kills and six total blocks, while Kelly Negron had 30 set assists, 15 digs and three kills.
 
UCI went 2-0 last week topping UC Davis and UC Riverside, 3-1 at home.
 
Outside hitter Joy Umeh led the Anteaters in both matches. She put away a career-high 20 kills versus UC Davis and 14 against UC Riverside.
 
UCI had a season-high nine aces in the win versus the Highlanders.
 
AMONG THE BIG WEST
UCI leads the Big West in hitting percentage (.254) and is second in kills (13.42) and opponents hitting percentage (.188).
 
The Anteaters are third in blocks with a 2.32 average, but lead the conference in opponents' blocks (1.64).
 
UCI owns three of the top 10 hitting performances of the season among Big West teams, including the top spot with their .424 effort against George Mason.
 
ALL ABOUT ONYE
Entering the week, sophomore Onye Ofoegbu is 8th in the country in hitting percentage with a .440 mark and is 23rd in blocking with a 1.36 average.
 
The middle blocker has hit over .500 five times this season and recorded five or more blocks on seven occasions.
 
Ofoegbu leads the Big West in hitting percentage (.440) and blocks and can also be found ranked  third in points (4.18) and fifth in kills (3.28) among Big West players.
 
She had the league's best hitting performance with .786 mark against Sacred Heart. Her 10 total blocks versus Lafayette are tied for second most in the Big West.

UMEH IGNITES OFFENSE
Outside hitter Joy Umeh leads the team in kills with a 3.54 average, which ranks fourth in the Big West. She can also be found eighth in points (3.82).
 
The outside hitter has led the team in kills seven times this season, recording double-figure kills on 10 occasions.
 
FAB FRESHMEN
UCI is getting balanced offensive production from three freshmen. Marianna Bertolone is third on the team in kills with a 1.88 average followed by Grace Colburn (1.66) and Ellen Veargason (1.50),
 
Colburn is also averaging 1.90 digs and a team-best 13 aces, while Veargason is second in blocks (0.92). Veargason ranks 10th in the Big West in hitting percentage (.268).
 
ON DEFENSE
Libero Carly Richter tops the squad with a 3.35 dig average. She has posted digs in double figures eight times, including a career-best 16 versus UC Davis. Richter is 10th among Big West players in aces with a 0.27 average.
 
Sophomore Sofia Skukan is averaging 1.78 digs over 32 sets. She has a team-best 17 digs against UTEP.
 
SETTING THE STAGE
Sophomore Kelly Negron leads the team with a 5.88 set assist average which is 10th best in the league. She averages 1.96 digs and has eight aces.

Freshman Indy DeSmet averages 3.88 assts and 1.79 digs. DeSmet had 19 assists and a career-best 14 digs against UC Davis.  

HOME SWEET HOME
UCI is 5-1 at home with the lone loss against Boise State on Sept. 3.

A school record 964 students attended the California Baptist match. UCI has averaged 840 fans over the last three matches at the Bren.

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