IRVINE, Calif. – Five different Anteaters established career highs in the UC Irvine women's volleyball team's 3-1 (25-15, 25-22, 27-29, 25-12) win over Cal State Fullerton Friday evening at the Bren Events Center.
 
The 'Eaters improved to 16-11 overall and 9-8 in Big West play, while the Titans fell to 10-14 overall and 7-10 in conference. UCI hit .337 on the night with 68 kills and only 11 errors. The home team also held the advantage in digs (85-76) and total team blocks (6.0-3.0).
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
> Onye Ofoegbu finished with a career-high 23 kills on .688 (23-1-32) hitting.
> Marianna Bertolone registered a double-double with a career-best 15 kills to go along with 11 digs.
> Caitlin Kikta also had a double-double with 11 digs and a career-high 28 assists.
> Libero Bailey Darnell anchored the defensive effort with a career-best 26 digs.
> Emma Spindt added a career-high 14 digs.
> Joy Umeh totaled 14 kills (.286) and four digs.
> Kelly Negron was just shy of a double-double with 29 assists and eight digs.
 
FIRST SET
> UC Irvine used a big 8-0 run, capped by back-to-back kills from Ofoegbu, to pull ahead, 11-3.
> Cal State Fullerton would close the gap to five, but that was the closest the visitors would get.
> After trading points, the Anteaters went on a 9-3 spurt to take set point at 24-13.
> Bertolone sparked the late rally with four kills during that stretch.
> The Titans were able to hold off two set points before Ofoegbu's seventh kill ended it at 25-15.
 
SECOND SET
> The 'Eaters kept the momentum in the second set, going up, 10-6, on a Spindt kill.
> CSF responded with a 4-0 spurt to tie it up.
> The two teams then went back-and-forth before UCI created some separation.
> A 10-5 rally that ended with an emphatic Umeh kill put UC Irvine on top, 23-17.
> Cal State Fullerton made it interesting, scoring four unanswered to cut the deficit to two.
> A Titan service error and a kill from Bertolone would ultimately give the Anteaters the 25-22 victory.
 
THIRD SET
> CSF took its largest lead of the match at 3-1 to start the third frame, but the 'Eaters came right back to knot the score.
> A seesaw battle ensued with eight more ties before kills from Bertolone and Ofoegbu put UCI up, 13-11.
> The Anteaters stayed out front until a hitting error and a Titan ace brought it back to 15-all.
> It remained close with Cal State Fullerton eventually going up, 24-22.
> UC Irvine then staved off five set points before falling, 29-27.
 
FOURTH SET
> The 'Eaters regrouped after the short break, scoring the first four points and racing out to a 10-4 lead.
> They kept their foot on the gas, running away with the 25-12 win.
> UCI hit at a .405 (16-1-37) clip in the fourth set.
 
UP NEXT
> UC Irvine will now head to Long Beach State for a Black & Blue Rivalry match on Saturday, Nov. 20.
> First serve is set for 7 p.m. at the Walter Pyramid.


NOTES
> Onye Ofoegbu's 23 kills are tied for seventh most in the Big West this season, and tied for second in four-set matches.
> Bailey Darnell's 26 digs were the most by an Anteater in a match this season.
> UCI avenged its loss at Cal State Fullerton on Oct. 15, earning a split in the regular-season series.