Box Score POCATELLO, Idaho -- Middle blocker Onye Ofoegbu led UC Irvine to its second win of the Bengal Invitational with a career-high nine total blocks in a 3-0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-15) victory over Seattle U in Reed Gym.

The sophomore middle blocker posted a career-high eight block assists to go with one solo. Her nine total blocks is the most by an Anteater since Idara Akpakpa who had nine (1 solo, 8 assisted) versus Hawaii on Sept. 23, 2018. Ofoegbu also had a season-high .526 hitting percentage on 12 kills and two errors in 19 attempts along with two aces.

The Anteaters (2-1) recorded a season-high 9.5 blocks, besting Seattle U who had one.

Transfer Ellen Veargason also shined today with a career-best five block assists while matching her career-high of six kills.

COACH ASHLIE HAIN SAID
"The team was very aggressive and discipline defensively at the net. Our middles and right sides were able to take away a lot of space for the Seattle attack."

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
>Sophomore outside hitter Joy Umeh continued to impress, hitting .571 (8-0-14)
>Middle blocker Kiani Stanton and outside hitter Marianna Bertolone each pitched in five kills
>Setter Caitlin Kikta recorded a double-double with 16 set assists and match-high 14 digs. The sophomore also had an ace
>UCI hit a season-high .359 compared to the Redhawks .143
>Seattle U (0-2) was led by Julia Queiroz with 14 kills

TURNINGS POINTS
FIRST SET
>UCI would break open the set on an 8-0 run, highlighted by a pair of kills and block assists by Ellen Veargason, 16-8
>Kills by Marianna Bertolone and Joy Umeh stretched the lead to 21-11
>A kill by Onye Ofoegbu ended the set 25-15
>The Anteaters hit .423 (13-2-26) with two aces and four total blocks

SECOND SET
>The teams would trade points until UCI created some distance with kills by Umeh and Grace Colburn, 11-9
>A 3-0 run which was courtesy all of Seattle U errors including an attack that was rejected by Ofoegbu made the advantage 19-15
>Consecutive kills by Ofoegbu and a Redhawk attack error got UCI closer to set point 23-18
>A kill by Caitlin Kikta ended the set 25-21

THIRD SET
>The Anteaters jumped out to an early 4-0 advantage and increased to 9-1 . Ofoegbu had two kills and two block assists to help the early lead
>Seattle U tried to rally on a 5-2 spurt (14-7), but a service error ended the momentum
>Kills by Umeh and Ofoegbu ended the match, 25-15

NOTES
>Ofoegbu has recorded double-figure kills in each match this weekend
>UCI had a season-high five aces. Besides Ofoegbu (2) and Kikta (1), Grace Colburn added an ace as well

UP NEXT
UCI will host the UCI/adidas Invitational next Friday and Saturday (Sept. 3-4) at the Bren Events Center. The Anteaters will take on George Mason at 11:00 a.m. in the first match of the day Friday.