FOLLOW THE ANTEATERS
Cal Poly at UC Irvine
Friday, Oct. 11 | 6:00 PM | Bren Events Center
Live Stats   Watch: ESPN+

UC Santa Barbara vs UC Irvine
Saturday, Oct. 12 | 4:00 PM | Bren Events Center
Live Stats   Watch: ESPN+

FIRST SERVE
For the first time since Oct. 19, 2023, the Anteaters will play at the Bren Events Center, hosting Cal Poly Friday (Oct. 11) at 6:00 p.m. then UC Santa Barbara Saturday (Oct. 12) at 4:00 p.m.

STORYLINES
UCI, who is 9-6 overall, is one of six teams (UC Davis, Cal Poly, Hawaii, Long Beach State, Cal State Bakersfield) tied at the top of the Big West standings with a 3-1 record.

The Anteaters went 1-1 last week, beating CSUN 3-2 then losing to CSUB 3-1.

The loss to the Roadrunners snapped a season-best four-match winning streak.

In the win over the Matadors, UCI had a season-high 20 team blocks.

The 20 blocks are the most by a Big West team this season and seventh most in the country.

Middle blockers Ella Gardiner and Ofure Iselen each had a career-high 10 total blocks. The 10 total blocks are tied for third most in the Big West in 2024.

Kendra Duffey and Katie Smith led the Anteater offense with 18 kills each, a career-high for Duffey. Smith also added 10 digs, four block assists and three aces, while Duffey totaled a career-high eight digs and four block assists.
 
Setter Nicole Feliciano tied her career-high with 48 set assists and posted a career-best 25 digs, which are tied for sixth most in the Big West this season.

In the loss to CSUB, UCI watched the Roadrunners fire 16 aces.

The Anteaters lead the Big West in blocking with a 2.74 average, which is 20th best in the nation.

UCI ranks sixth in the country in total blocks with 172.5.

The Anteaters are second among Big West teams in opponents' hitting percentage (.176).

Cal Poly leads the league in hitting percentage (.239), second in kills (12.91) and third in aces (1.65) and digs (14.73).

UCSB is fourth in hitting percentage (.202) and fifth in kills (12.79).
 
The Anteaters and Mustangs are tied for the most road victories this season with four.

UCI has gone to five sets seven times this season, going 4-3.

THE OPPONENTS
Cal Poly has the most wins in the Big West at 10-5.

Last week, the Mustangs fell to UC Davis (1-3) and beat UC Riverside (3-0) at home.

UCI lost both matches to Cal Poly last season in five sets. In the last outing versus the Mustangs, Hunter Riedl had a career-high 23 kills, while hitting .429 (23-5-42).

UC Santa Barbara is 6-10 on the year and 2-2 in the Big West standings.

Like the Mustangs, the Gauchos swept UC Riverside and lost to UC Davis (1-3).

UCI and UCSB split a pair of matches last season with the Anteaters upending the Gauchos 3-1 in Crawford Hall when they were ranked No. 25 in the last meeting.

AT THE NET
UCI holds three of the top five blocking totals in the Big West. The 20 blocks versus CSUN is first followed by UCI's 17 blocks against Cal State Fullerton. The Anteaters are tied for fifth with 16 versus Portland.

Middle blocker Soana Leaea tops the conference at 1.13 blocks per set, while graduate student Ella Gardiner is third with a 1.10 mark. 

Gardiner has posted her career-high eight block assists twice this season.

ISELEN DOMINATES
Ofure Iselen had a dominant presence at the net last week, averaging 2.63 blocks per set.

She sparked UCI to a comeback win over CSUN with 10 total blocks, on a career-high four solo blocks to go with six block assists then bettered her career-high with 11 total blocks (3 solo, 8 assisted) the next night versus Cal State Bakersfield. The 11 total blocks are tied for second most in the Big West overall and eighth most nationally in a 4-set match, while her 10  blocks are tied for fourth most in the Big West overall.

For the season, Iselen is averaging 1.56 blocks over 27 sets.

SMITH AT THE SERVICE LINE
Outside hitter Katie Smith is third in the Big West in ace average with a 0.42 mark.

She fired three aces in each match last week and has recorded at least one ace in each of the last five matches.

Smith led the team in kills in the last two matches and is second on the team in kills with a 2.71 average. She is also averaging 2.02 digs.