Photo by: Regents of the University of California
UC Irvine Meets CSUN To Open Big West Championship
April 19, 2023 | Men's Volleyball
THIS WEEK
OUTRIGGER BIG WEST CHAMPIONSHIP Presented By The Hawaiian Islands
Thursday, Apr. 20 | 7:30 PM | Bren Events Center
Live Stats Watch
FIRST SERVE
Third-seed UC Irvine will play sixth-seed CSUN in the first round of the 2023 OUTRIGGER Big West Men's Volleyball Championship, presented by The Hawaiian Islands Thursday (Apr. 20) at 7:30 p.m. at the Bren Events Center.
The winner advances to a semifinal match Friday (Apr. 21) at 7:30 p.m. against second-seed Long Beach State.
STORYLINES
UCI ended the conference slate with a 6-4 record and were third in the standings.
UCI enters the week 16-10 overall.
After starting Big West play with six straight victories, the Anteaters have dropped the last four, including two to Long Beach State last week.
UCI hit a season-low .116 in a 3-0 loss in Long Beach then couldn't hold off The Beach in a 3-2 loss in Irvine after winning the first two sets.
The Beach out-blocked UCI 26 to 15. Over the last four matches, the Anteaters have watched opponents out-block them 47 to 21.5.
The Anteaters are ranked fifth nationally, while CSUN is receiving votes.
CSUN is 12-16 overall. The Matadors were 1-9 in Big West matches, ending in sixth place.
The Matadors are riding a 10-match losing streak, dropping the final series to UC Santa Barbara.
The Anteaters own a 40-36 series advantage, winning the last four outings with CSUN.
UCI swept the season series with CSUN, winning both matches 3-0.
Serving was key in the two wins. UCI out-aced CSUN 13 to 2. The Matadors had 30 service errors over six sets.
This will be the first post-season meeting between the schools.
AT THE BIG WEST CHAMPIONSHIP
UCI is 3-4 all-time at the Big West Championship. The Anteaters have not made a championship match appearance as a Big West member.
The Anteaters have won a conference tournament three times, capturing the MPSF championship title in 2007, 2012 and 2015.
FROM THE SERVICE LINE
Sophomore Hilir Henno has 80 service aces and sits in second in the NCAA record book for aces in a season. He is 20 shy of the NCAA record holder Curtis Abram from Emmanuel who had 100 in 2011.
Currently, the sophomore has 125 in his career which is fourth all-time, three shy of former All-American Jayson Jablonsky's (2004-07) third place spot. Carson Clark holds the all-time record with 183 from 2009-2012. He set the UCI match record for aces earlier this year with nine against Penn State, which is tied for the most in the country this season. The lefty has totaled five or more aces seven times this season.
Francesco Sani is second on the team with 41 aces which ranks 12th in the UCI season record book. He is third in the Big West in ace average (.420).
Cole Gillis follows with a .269 mark, 11th in the Big West.
BIG WEST HONORS FOUR ANTEATERS
Francesco Sani and Hilir Henno were named to the All-Big West first-team for the second consecutive year, while Joe Karlous was an honorable mention selection and Maxim Grigoriev was an All-Freshman Team honoree.
Sani leads the Big West in points (4.77) and kills (3.99), ranking sixth and seventh respectively in those categories nationally. The junior is third in the Big West and 19th nationally in ace average (.420) as well as fifth in the Big West in hitting percentage (.312).
Henno leads the country in aces, averaging .900 per set. He is third in the Big West and 16th nationally in points (4.39) per game as well sixth in kills (3.28), seventh in hitting percentage (.291) and 10th in digs (1.55) among Big West players.
Karlous is averaging 9.30 set assists per set as well as 1.88 digs. He has guided UCI to a .400 or better hitting percentage five times, including a .592 clip versus Concordia, the second-best mark in the country and tops for a Big West team this season. The junior has five double-doubles, including a career-high 16 digs against Penn State. He dished a career-best 53 set assists against UC Santa Barbara.
Grigoriev was the 11th Anteater to be named to the Big West All-Freshman team and 14th overall. He has been named Big West Freshman of the Week three times in 2023. The middle blocker is averaging 1.18 kills and 0.90 blocks over 50 sets. He had a career-best performance at Concordia, hitting .692 with 10 kills on 13 swings and just one error. He has recorded at least one block in all but one match he has played in, rejecting a career-high seven block assists versus BYU.
GOING TO GILLIS
Outside hitter Cole Gillis has been a stable force for the Anteaters. He ranks fourth in the Big West and 32nd nationally in hitting percentage (.329). He has the top hitting mark in the NCAA with a minimum of 20 attempts, knocking down an .800 (16-0-20) clip at Concordia.
The outside hitter ranks 13th in kills (2.56) and 12th in points (3.09) among Big West players. He had 13 double-digit kill performances this season and is third in aces with 25.
THIS & THAT
UCI leads the Big West and iis ranked fourth in the country in aces with a 1.82 average per set. They are also seventh in assists (11.85), 11th in hitting percentage (.316), 12th in kills (12.41) and 15th in blocks (2.14).
UCI collected a season-high 61 digs against Penn State which is the top total in the Big West, shared with CSUN who had 61 versus Stanford.
The Anteaters also hold the top spot in aces with 13 versus Penn State, Pepperdine and UC Santa Barbara.
UCI has out-blocked opponents 14 times in 2023 with a season-high versus Pepperdine.
Libero Cole Power is fourth in the Big West with a 2.05 dig average.
Middle blocker Doug Dahm is averaging 0.98 blocks, while Conner Campbell 0.86.
VERSUS THE REST OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD: This season, UCI went 0-2 versus Long Beach State, 0-2 against Hawaii, 2-0 versus UC Santa Barbara and 2-0 against UC San Diego.
OUTRIGGER BIG WEST CHAMPIONSHIP Presented By The Hawaiian Islands
Thursday, Apr. 20 | 7:30 PM | Bren Events Center
Live Stats Watch
FIRST SERVE
Third-seed UC Irvine will play sixth-seed CSUN in the first round of the 2023 OUTRIGGER Big West Men's Volleyball Championship, presented by The Hawaiian Islands Thursday (Apr. 20) at 7:30 p.m. at the Bren Events Center.
The winner advances to a semifinal match Friday (Apr. 21) at 7:30 p.m. against second-seed Long Beach State.
STORYLINES
UCI ended the conference slate with a 6-4 record and were third in the standings.
UCI enters the week 16-10 overall.
After starting Big West play with six straight victories, the Anteaters have dropped the last four, including two to Long Beach State last week.
UCI hit a season-low .116 in a 3-0 loss in Long Beach then couldn't hold off The Beach in a 3-2 loss in Irvine after winning the first two sets.
The Beach out-blocked UCI 26 to 15. Over the last four matches, the Anteaters have watched opponents out-block them 47 to 21.5.
The Anteaters are ranked fifth nationally, while CSUN is receiving votes.
CSUN is 12-16 overall. The Matadors were 1-9 in Big West matches, ending in sixth place.
The Matadors are riding a 10-match losing streak, dropping the final series to UC Santa Barbara.
The Anteaters own a 40-36 series advantage, winning the last four outings with CSUN.
UCI swept the season series with CSUN, winning both matches 3-0.
Serving was key in the two wins. UCI out-aced CSUN 13 to 2. The Matadors had 30 service errors over six sets.
This will be the first post-season meeting between the schools.
AT THE BIG WEST CHAMPIONSHIP
UCI is 3-4 all-time at the Big West Championship. The Anteaters have not made a championship match appearance as a Big West member.
The Anteaters have won a conference tournament three times, capturing the MPSF championship title in 2007, 2012 and 2015.
FROM THE SERVICE LINE
Sophomore Hilir Henno has 80 service aces and sits in second in the NCAA record book for aces in a season. He is 20 shy of the NCAA record holder Curtis Abram from Emmanuel who had 100 in 2011.
Currently, the sophomore has 125 in his career which is fourth all-time, three shy of former All-American Jayson Jablonsky's (2004-07) third place spot. Carson Clark holds the all-time record with 183 from 2009-2012. He set the UCI match record for aces earlier this year with nine against Penn State, which is tied for the most in the country this season. The lefty has totaled five or more aces seven times this season.
Francesco Sani is second on the team with 41 aces which ranks 12th in the UCI season record book. He is third in the Big West in ace average (.420).
Cole Gillis follows with a .269 mark, 11th in the Big West.
BIG WEST HONORS FOUR ANTEATERS
Francesco Sani and Hilir Henno were named to the All-Big West first-team for the second consecutive year, while Joe Karlous was an honorable mention selection and Maxim Grigoriev was an All-Freshman Team honoree.
Sani leads the Big West in points (4.77) and kills (3.99), ranking sixth and seventh respectively in those categories nationally. The junior is third in the Big West and 19th nationally in ace average (.420) as well as fifth in the Big West in hitting percentage (.312).
Henno leads the country in aces, averaging .900 per set. He is third in the Big West and 16th nationally in points (4.39) per game as well sixth in kills (3.28), seventh in hitting percentage (.291) and 10th in digs (1.55) among Big West players.
Karlous is averaging 9.30 set assists per set as well as 1.88 digs. He has guided UCI to a .400 or better hitting percentage five times, including a .592 clip versus Concordia, the second-best mark in the country and tops for a Big West team this season. The junior has five double-doubles, including a career-high 16 digs against Penn State. He dished a career-best 53 set assists against UC Santa Barbara.
Grigoriev was the 11th Anteater to be named to the Big West All-Freshman team and 14th overall. He has been named Big West Freshman of the Week three times in 2023. The middle blocker is averaging 1.18 kills and 0.90 blocks over 50 sets. He had a career-best performance at Concordia, hitting .692 with 10 kills on 13 swings and just one error. He has recorded at least one block in all but one match he has played in, rejecting a career-high seven block assists versus BYU.
GOING TO GILLIS
Outside hitter Cole Gillis has been a stable force for the Anteaters. He ranks fourth in the Big West and 32nd nationally in hitting percentage (.329). He has the top hitting mark in the NCAA with a minimum of 20 attempts, knocking down an .800 (16-0-20) clip at Concordia.
The outside hitter ranks 13th in kills (2.56) and 12th in points (3.09) among Big West players. He had 13 double-digit kill performances this season and is third in aces with 25.
THIS & THAT
UCI leads the Big West and iis ranked fourth in the country in aces with a 1.82 average per set. They are also seventh in assists (11.85), 11th in hitting percentage (.316), 12th in kills (12.41) and 15th in blocks (2.14).
UCI collected a season-high 61 digs against Penn State which is the top total in the Big West, shared with CSUN who had 61 versus Stanford.
The Anteaters also hold the top spot in aces with 13 versus Penn State, Pepperdine and UC Santa Barbara.
UCI has out-blocked opponents 14 times in 2023 with a season-high versus Pepperdine.
Libero Cole Power is fourth in the Big West with a 2.05 dig average.
Middle blocker Doug Dahm is averaging 0.98 blocks, while Conner Campbell 0.86.
VERSUS THE REST OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD: This season, UCI went 0-2 versus Long Beach State, 0-2 against Hawaii, 2-0 versus UC Santa Barbara and 2-0 against UC San Diego.
Players Mentioned
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