DAVIS, Calif. – UC Irvine held off UC Davis 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 8-25, 20-25, 15-10) at the University Credit Union Center Thursday evening.

Middle blocker Ella Gardiner led UCI with 10 kills and a match-best six total blocks (2 solo, 4 assisted).

UCI, who pays UC Davis back for a five-set loss earlier in the season, ties the Aggies in the Big West standings at 6-7. The Anteaters go to 8-16 overall, while UC Davis is 11-12.

The Aggies led in all statistical categories, holding a 14-9 block advantage as well as in aces (10-2), hitting percentage (.190-.121) and digs (77-76).

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
>Middle blocker Isabella Scarlett totaled nine kills and three block assists
>Outside hitters Marianna Bertolone and Emma Napoleon added eight kills, apiece
>Opposite Hunter Riedl pitched in seven kills
>Libero Campbell Jensen scooped a match-high 20 digs
>Big West Freshman of the Week Nicole Feliciano recorded her 12^th double-double of the season on 34 set assists and 13 digs. She also had two block assists and an ace
>UC Davis' Amara Aimufua had a match-best 13 kills

FIRST SET
>UC Davis would lead 8-7 before UCI scored three in a row on an Aggie service error, dump by Nicole Feliciano and solo block by Ella Gardiner to move in front 10-8
>After UCD tied it at 10-10, Gardiner took over with a block and two kills to help UCI regain control 13-10
>Four straight by UC Davis put the Aggies in front 15-14 momentarily as a service error and an attack error gave the Anteaters the 16-15 edge
>Isabella Scarlett would tap one down in the middle before Napoleon had a kill and the Aggies had an attack error to move UCI out to a 20-18 lead
>A kill by Gardiner and an Aggie swing that went out handed UCI the 25-22 victory

SECOND SET
>The teams remained close until Gardiner pounded a ball for a kill, two Aggie attack errors and a kill by Scarlett gave UCI some separation, 13-9
>Hunter Riedl would swipe the ball for a kill then Scarlett put a kill down in the middle to increase the margin to 18-11
>UCD chipped away and had a 6-1 run which was capped by two kills and a block assist by Amara Aimufua to tie the set at 22s
>UCI answered with the final three points, two Aggie attacks that went long and a Riedl kill, 25-22

THIRD SET
>UC Davis jumped out to the quick 5-1 lead
>An Aggie ace extended the lead to 16-4
>UC Davis would hit .435 (13-3-23) and roll to a 25-8 win

FOURTH SET
>The Aggies once again got out to an early lead, 4-1
>On the strength of two Scarlett kills and a block assist, UCI tied the set at 4-4
>UCD pulled away on five consecutive points, the last an ace, 11-6
>A Riedl kill edged UCI closer, 13-15, but the Aggies answered with the next three to maintain control, 18-13
>Trailing 14-21, UCI came alive scoring five in a row, two on Kendra MacDonald kills to close within 19-21
>UC Davis would close out the set on a 4-1 run to force a fifth set, 25-20

FIFTH SET
>Kills by Scarlett and Marianna Bertolone gave UCI its first lead 4-3
>A kill by Emma Napoleon put UCI ahead 6-4 only to watch the Aggies score the next three to move ahead 7-6
>Back-to-back kills by Scarlett and Napoleon gave UCI the 8-7 lead as the teams would switch sides
>At 8-8, UCI scored five straight, including two kills by Napoleon and one by Gardiner, 13-8
>A kill by Napoleon and a UC Davis ball-handling error ended the match, 15-10

NOTES
>UCI snapped a four-match losing streak against Aggies
>UCI's 8 points in the second set is the lowest of the season
>UC Davis remains winless at home this season (0-6)

UP NEXT
>UCI stays on the road at UC Riverside Saturday. First serve from SRC Arena is slated for 7:00 p.m.