IRVINE, Calif. – Junior Cole Gillis was dominant in a 3-0 victory (25-12, 25-21, 25-11) over Emmanuel in a non-conference contest at the Bren Events Center Friday.

Playing from the right side, Gillis hit .714 on 10 kills, zero errors and 14 attempts. He also added four digs, an ace and a block assist.

As a team, UCI hit a season-high .433 (37-8-67) and had a season-best nine blocks. The Anteaters improve to 3-0.

COACH DAVID KNIFFIN SAID:
"Over the years, Cole (Gillis) has put himself in a position to play his best volleyball. He plays smart, he plays clean and you are seeing the fruits of all his effort and diligence."

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
>Junior Francesco Sani led the team with 12 kills, hitting .455 (12-2-22)
>Middle blocker Connor Campbell led all players with a season-high five block assists to go with four kills
>Outside hitter Akhil Tangutur made the start and was also errorless with five kills on 10 swings
>Setter Joe Karlous totaled 28 set assists and four digs
>Reigning Big West Defensive Player of the Week, Cole Power had a match-best six digs
>Freshman Will D'Arcy added three kills on five swings
>Emmanuel (1-1) was led by Jayden Youngs' 10 kills
>UCI held the Lions to a .012 hitting percentage (25-24-83), the lowest mark of the season
>The Anteaters posted a .433 hitting percentage (37-8-67)
>UCI out-blocked the Lions 9-4

FIRST SET
>UCI jumped out to a 3-1 lead on a kill by Akhil Tangutur, a Lion attack error and a block by Connor Campbell and Cole Gillis
>A kill by Francesco Sani from the backrow fell in between a pair of blasts for kills from Cole Gillis, 13-6
>Conner Dahm stepped to the service line as UCI went on a 7-0 run, one an ace, 21-9
>A kill by William D'Arcy and an Emmanuel attack error ended the set, 25-12

SECOND SET
>Emmanuel started with the early 3-1 lead
>Two UCI attack errors moved the Lions lead to 8-6 until kills by Campbell and Tangutur evened the score. The duo would come together for a block on the next play for UCI's first lead, 9-8
>At 13-13, Emmanuel would peel off three in a row to take a 16-13 advantage
>UCI would tie the set at 17-17 on a kill by D'Arcy and back-to-back Anteater blocks, both assisted by Campbell
>Another Gillis kill capped a 5-1 run to end the set, 25-21

THIRD SET
>With the set tied at 4-4, UCI ran off six in a row, getting a kill each by Sani and Doug Dahm and a block by the duo, 9-4
>A 4-0 spurt that included two kills by Gillis and an ace from Joe Karlous, 16-7
>A Sani kill would close out a 6-1 run and end the set, 25-11
>Sani had five kills on seven attempts in the set

NOTES
>UCI has hit over .400 in two of three matches this season
>Conner Dahm, Connor Campbell and Joe Karlous also notched an ace from the service line

UP NEXT
>UCI will continue the homestand next Wednesday (Jan. 18), hosting USC at 7:00 p.m. at the Bren Events Center.