UC Irvine Hosts CSUN; CSUB At Crawford Hall
October 02, 2024 | Women's Volleyball
FOLLOW THE ANTEATERS
CSUN at UC Irvine
Friday, Oct. 4 | 6:00 PM | Crawford Hall
Live Stats Watch: ESPN+
Cal State Bakersfield vs UC Irvine
Saturday, Oct. 5 | 4:00 PM | Crawford Hall
Live Stats Watch: ESPN+
FIRST SERVE
After playing the last seven matches away from Irvine, the Anteaters return home to host CSUN Friday (Oct. 4) at 6:00 p.m. and Cal State Bakersfield (Oct. 5) Saturday at 4:00 p.m.
Both matches will be played at Crawford Hall.
STORYLINES
UCI last played at home on Sept. 8 with a 3-0 win over Bradley.
The Anteaters are 8-5 overall and riding a three-match winning streak.
UC Irvine is one of three teams to start league play undefeated (Cal Poly, Long Beach State).
UCI started the Big West season off 2-0, beating Cal State Fullerton (3-0) and upending Hawaii (3-2) on the road.
The win against Hawaii is just the second all-time in program history, the first coming in 2019.
Both wins over the Rainbow Wahine came in reverse sweep fashion. Hawaii was just two points away from a match sweep before UCI came alive on a 7-1 run to win the third set 26-24 and keep the match going.
Opposite Hunter Riedl was dominant pounding a match and season-high 21 kills, while hitting .423 (21-4-41). She also added five digs and five block assists. Riedl had six kills in the important third set win and had four kills and two blocks assists in the decisive final game.
Middle blocker Ella Gardiner was a huge offensive weapon against the Rainbow Wahine, totaling 13 kills and hitting .423 (13-2-26).
UCI snapped a seven-match losing streak versus UH.
Versus Cal State Fullerton, UCI used a Big West-best 17 blocks to down the Titans. Eight different players added a block in the win.
Gardiner contributed a career-high eight block assists, which is tied for fifth most in the Big West this season.
The Anteaters, who lead the Big West in opponents hitting percentage (.174), held CSUF to a .093 mark.
UCI hit .233 versus the Titans, the third highest hitting percentage this season.
Katie Smith led the Anteaters with nine kills.
UCI has gone to five sets six times this season, going 3-3.
THE OPPONENTS
CSUN is 5-8 overall and looking for its first win on the road this season (0-2).
The Matadors dropped their first two Big West contests to Cal Poly (0-3) and UC Santa Barbara (1-3).
CSUB enters the week 7-7 overall after starting the conference season with a 3-0 victory over UC Santa Barbara before falling to Cal Poly, 0-3.
UCI has won the last six meetings with CSUN and the last five with the Roadrunners.
AT THE NET
UCI exploded with a Big West-leading 17 blocks versus Cal State Fullerton. The 17 blocks rank 14th most in a four-set match nationally.
The Anteaters lead the Big West in blocks with a 2.56 average.
Middle blocker Soana Leaea tops the conference at 1.21 blocks per set, while graduate student Ella Gardiner is third with a 1.04 mark.
Leaea knocked down a career-high 12 total blocks (1 solo, 11 assisted) against Portland, which is tied for eighth most in the country this season.
Gardiner has recorded five or more total blocks six times this season.
RIEDL RISING
Graduate students Hunter Riedl continues to lead the Anteaters offensively.
Riedl is 10th in the Big West in kills with a 3.20 average and seventh in points at 3.89.
The opposite is also averaging 1.11 digs and 0.81 blocks per set. She is second on the team in aces with 15, recording at least one ace in five of the last six matches.
BACK AT THE BREN
Following this week's action at Crawford Hall, the Anteaters will be playing the remainder of the home schedule at the Bren Events Center. The fan experience has been enhanced this season with the addition of a state-of-the-art scoreboard on the end zone wall.
Next, UCI will entertain Cal Poly Friday (Oct. 11) and UC Santa Barbara (Oct.12) at the Bren.
CSUN at UC Irvine
Friday, Oct. 4 | 6:00 PM | Crawford Hall
Live Stats Watch: ESPN+
Cal State Bakersfield vs UC Irvine
Saturday, Oct. 5 | 4:00 PM | Crawford Hall
Live Stats Watch: ESPN+
FIRST SERVE
After playing the last seven matches away from Irvine, the Anteaters return home to host CSUN Friday (Oct. 4) at 6:00 p.m. and Cal State Bakersfield (Oct. 5) Saturday at 4:00 p.m.
Both matches will be played at Crawford Hall.
STORYLINES
UCI last played at home on Sept. 8 with a 3-0 win over Bradley.
The Anteaters are 8-5 overall and riding a three-match winning streak.
UC Irvine is one of three teams to start league play undefeated (Cal Poly, Long Beach State).
UCI started the Big West season off 2-0, beating Cal State Fullerton (3-0) and upending Hawaii (3-2) on the road.
The win against Hawaii is just the second all-time in program history, the first coming in 2019.
Both wins over the Rainbow Wahine came in reverse sweep fashion. Hawaii was just two points away from a match sweep before UCI came alive on a 7-1 run to win the third set 26-24 and keep the match going.
Opposite Hunter Riedl was dominant pounding a match and season-high 21 kills, while hitting .423 (21-4-41). She also added five digs and five block assists. Riedl had six kills in the important third set win and had four kills and two blocks assists in the decisive final game.
Middle blocker Ella Gardiner was a huge offensive weapon against the Rainbow Wahine, totaling 13 kills and hitting .423 (13-2-26).
UCI snapped a seven-match losing streak versus UH.
Versus Cal State Fullerton, UCI used a Big West-best 17 blocks to down the Titans. Eight different players added a block in the win.
Gardiner contributed a career-high eight block assists, which is tied for fifth most in the Big West this season.
The Anteaters, who lead the Big West in opponents hitting percentage (.174), held CSUF to a .093 mark.
UCI hit .233 versus the Titans, the third highest hitting percentage this season.
Katie Smith led the Anteaters with nine kills.
UCI has gone to five sets six times this season, going 3-3.
THE OPPONENTS
CSUN is 5-8 overall and looking for its first win on the road this season (0-2).
The Matadors dropped their first two Big West contests to Cal Poly (0-3) and UC Santa Barbara (1-3).
CSUB enters the week 7-7 overall after starting the conference season with a 3-0 victory over UC Santa Barbara before falling to Cal Poly, 0-3.
UCI has won the last six meetings with CSUN and the last five with the Roadrunners.
AT THE NET
UCI exploded with a Big West-leading 17 blocks versus Cal State Fullerton. The 17 blocks rank 14th most in a four-set match nationally.
The Anteaters lead the Big West in blocks with a 2.56 average.
Middle blocker Soana Leaea tops the conference at 1.21 blocks per set, while graduate student Ella Gardiner is third with a 1.04 mark.
Leaea knocked down a career-high 12 total blocks (1 solo, 11 assisted) against Portland, which is tied for eighth most in the country this season.
Gardiner has recorded five or more total blocks six times this season.
RIEDL RISING
Graduate students Hunter Riedl continues to lead the Anteaters offensively.
Riedl is 10th in the Big West in kills with a 3.20 average and seventh in points at 3.89.
The opposite is also averaging 1.11 digs and 0.81 blocks per set. She is second on the team in aces with 15, recording at least one ace in five of the last six matches.
BACK AT THE BREN
Following this week's action at Crawford Hall, the Anteaters will be playing the remainder of the home schedule at the Bren Events Center. The fan experience has been enhanced this season with the addition of a state-of-the-art scoreboard on the end zone wall.
Next, UCI will entertain Cal Poly Friday (Oct. 11) and UC Santa Barbara (Oct.12) at the Bren.
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
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