IRVINE, Calif. – A balanced offensive attack led UC Irvine to a 3-0 win (25-10, 25-23, 25-22) over Southern Utah in the finale of the UCI/adidas Invitational at the Bren Events Center Saturday.

UCI was led by all-tournament honorees Joy Umeh and Onye Ofoegbu with 15 and 11 kills, respectively. Ofoegbu did not commit an attacking error, hitting .647 (11-0-17) and added four block assists.

The Anteaters out-hit the Thunderbirds .339 (51-14-109) to .170 (31-14-100).

UCI improves to 4-2 on the season, while SUU goes to 2-4.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
>Freshman Marianna Bertolone had nine kills, six digs and a career-high three aces
>Opposite Ellen Veargason tallied a career-high eight kills, hitting .500 (8-0-16) plus four block assists
>Freshman Grace Colburn followed matching her career-best with seven kills, eight digs and two block assists
>Libero Carly Richter tied her career-high with 13 digs, which was also a match-high
>Sophomore setter Caitlin Kikta posted a double-double on 18 set assists and 11 digs
>Setter Kelly Negron recorded 20 kills and four digs
>Rylee Achtzehn had a team-high eight kills for Southern Utah, while Raegen Ashby had a match-high six block assists

TURNING POINTS
FIRST SET
>UCI started quickly, jumping out to a 12-2 lead on a .600 hitting percentage (9-0-15). Onye Ofoegbu had three consecutive kills in the run
>Southern Utah was forced to call a timeout after Joy Umeh, Grace Colburn and Kiani Stanton had kills and Marianna Bertolone fired an ace, 19-7
>A kill by Ofoegbu and an ace by Colburn ended the set 25-10

SECOND SET
>The teams remained close until SUU used a pair of kills and a pair of blocks to take a 10-7 lead
>A 7-2 run by the Anteaters, which had three Joy Umeh kills put them in front 16-14
>The Thunderbirds would catch UCI at 20-20 and take a 22-21 lead on a block
>The Anteaters responded with kills by Umeh and Ellen Veargason, to take back the top spot, 23-22
>A SUU attack error gave UCI set point, 24-22. The set was delayed by a Thunderbird kill before Ofoegbu put away the winner 25-23

THIRD SET
>A 7-1 run gave Southern Utah an 11-6 cushion
>A kill and ace by Bertolone plus a block by Colburn and Stanton brought the Anteaters within 11-9
>SUU held a 21-19 lead before UCI used a pair of Umeh kills and one by Colburn to catapult to a 22-21 lead
>Each team would score a point and SUU would call a timeout (23-22)
>Out of the break, UCI had a block by Ofoegbu and Umeh followed by an ace by Richter to seal the victory, 25-22
 
NOTES
>It is the second consecutive all-tournament recognition for Umeh and Ofoegbu
>Middle blocker Kiani Stanton totaled four blocks with one solo. She has recorded three solo blocks over the last two matches
>UCI out-dug SUU 46-38 and held a 6-3 advantage in aces. The Thunderbirds owned a 9-8 advantage in blocks

All-Tournament Team
UC Irvine – Joy Umeh
UC Irvine – Onye Ofoegbu
Lauren Ohlinger – Boise State
Makayla Hansen – Boise State
Peyton Ehmke – George Mason
Katelyn Clarke – George Mason
Carissa Richie - Southern Utah
Calli Johnson - Southern Utah

Tournament MVP – Danielle Boss, Boise State

UP NEXT
UCI will travel to Fairfield, Conn. to the Sacred Heart Tournament. UCI will face Fairfield Friday at 1:00 p.m. to start the tournament.