FOLLOW THE ANTEATERS
BUFFS INVITATIONAL
UC Irvine vs Colorado
Friday, Sept. 13 | 6:00 PM | CU Events Center
Live Stats   Watch:

Wyoming vs UC Irvine
Saturday, Sept. 14 | 2:00 PM | CU Events Center
Live Stats  Watch: ESPN+

California vs UC Irvine
Sunday, Sept. 15 | 10:00 AM | CU Events Center
Live Stats  Watch:  ESPN+

FIRST SERVE
The Anteaters will travel to the Buffs Invitational Fri.-Sun. (Sept. 13-15) at the CU Events Center.

UCI will face host Colorado in the opening match Friday at 6:00 p.m. PT The Anteaters will battle Wyoming on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. then California Sunday at 10:00 a.m.

STORYLINES
The Anteaters are 4-2 overall after going 2-1 at their own UCI/adidas Invitational last week.

 UCI lost the home opener to Idaho State (2-3) before beating Portland (3-2) and Bradley (3-0).

Outside hitter Katie Smith and middle blocker Soana Leaea were all-tournament selections.

Leaea leads the Big West in blocks with a 1.50 average. She had a career-high 12 total blocks (1 solo, 11 assisted). The 11 block assists are tied for second most in a match in the
UCI record book and second most in the NCAA this season. The 12 total blocks are tied for third most in the country.

Smith is second in the Big West in ace average with a 0.56 mark, firing 14 in 25 sets.

Opposite Hunter Riedl leads the Anteaters in kills with a 3.40 average.

The Anteaters are ranked second in the Big West in blocks (2.67), bettering opponents at the net 28-16 over the last two matches. UCI had a season-best 16 blocks in the win over
Portland which is tied for second most by a Big West team this season.

Colorado is 4-2 overall, coming off a loss to Washington (2-3) They are 2-1 at  home this season.

The Buffs will entertain Northern Colorado on Wednesday before hosting their tournament.
 
Wyoming enters the week undefeated with a 5-0 mark. Last week, the Cowgirls took down UTRGV, Akron and Cleveland State. Wyoming held its opponents to just a .154 team hitting percentage in the three matches.

Sierra Grizzle was named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week after averaging 5.08 digs over three matches.

Cal is 4-2 overall, dropping its first two matches to No. 8 Purdue (1-3) and Utah (0-3) in Salt Lake City before rebounding with a 3-1 win against Utah State.

The Golden Bears will make a stop at St. Mary's Tuesday before heading to Boulder, Colo.

VERSUS THE OPPONENTS
The Anteaters and the Buffaloes have split a pair of matches, the last a 3-0 Colorado sweep at the USD Invitational in 2016. Colorado was ranked No. 18 at the time they swept the Anteaters in San Diego.

UCI and Wyoming are also 1-1 all-time. The Anteaters won in five sets at home the last time out in 2007. The Cowgirls won a neutral meeting in 1997.

Cal holds an 11-5 series lead over the Anteaters, sweeping UCI 3-0 in 2019.

RIEDL LEADS ANTEATERS
Graduate student Hunter Riedl has led UCI in all but one match this season, totaling double figures in five of six outings.

She is 11th in the Big West in kills with a 3.50 average and fifth in points at 4.21.

Last week, the opposite averaged 3.31 kills, 4.00 points and 0.92 blocks over three matches.

SMITH DOING IT ALL
USC transfer Katie Smith has made an immediate impact on the Anteater squad. She is second on the team averaging 2.76 kills, totaling a career-high 20 versus Portland. She also had a career-best six block assists versus the Pilots.

The outside hitter leads the Big West in aces with a 0.56 average. She had a career-best four aces three times this season.

DOWN THE MIDDLE
UCI has a trio of middle blockers working at the net.

Ella Gardiner, who graduated in June but returned for graduate school, is second in hitting percentage (.376) and sixth in blocks (1.09) in the Big West. Last time out, she hit .636 (8-1-11) and had five total blocks versus Bradley.

Ofure Iselen is third in blocking (1.31) among Big West players. She had a career-high eight block assists versus UNM which is tops in the Big West in a three-set match. She is also averaging 1.38 kills per set.

Junior Soana Leaea averaged 1.79 kills and 1.67 blocks over three matches last week. She had a career-high nine kills against Portland. Overall, she leads the Big West in blocks (1.50) and is fifth in the Big West in hitting percentage (.327)