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BIG WEST/WAC CHALLENGE
UC Irvine vs Grand Canyon
Friday, Sept. 20 | 3:00 PM | Van Dyne Gym
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UC Irvine vs California Baptist
Saturday, Sept. 21 | 6:00 PM | Van Dyne Gym
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FIRST SERVE
The Anteaters will round out their non-conference slate at the Big West/WAC Challenge hosted by California Baptist at Van Dyne Gym Fri.-Sat. (Sept. 20-21).

The Anteaters will face Grand Canyon Friday at 3:00 p.m. then CBU Saturday at 6:00 p.m.

STORYLINES
UC Irvine is 5-4 overall after going 1-2 at the Buff Invitational last week.

The Anteaters dropped a grueling 2-3 loss to host Colorado before beating Wyoming (3-2) and losing to California (1-3).

Opposite Hunter Riedl was named to the Invitational All-Tournament team.

This is the fourth installment of the Big West/WAC Challenge.

Last year, UCI dropped both matches, falling to CBU in five and to GCU in three.

In the match against the Lancers, Hunter Riedl had a match and then-career-high 19 kills, hitting .485 (19-3-33).

 In the loss to GCU, the Antelopes held the advantage in blocks (10-3), aces (9-3) and hitting percentage (.379-.245).

All-time versus Grand Canyon, UC Irvine won the first meeting, 3-0, in 2022 then GCU won the last meeting 3-0 in Fullerton. The 'Lopes did not participate in the 2021 event.

The 'Lopes are 5-4 overall, collecting 18 blocks in their last match versus Pacific.

California Baptist leads the series 2-1, with the Lancers winning the last two in five sets. UCI swept CBU in the first meeting in 2021 at the Bren Center.

CBU enters the week, 0-10, dropping their last nine sets. CSUN beat the Lancers 3-0 to start the week on Tuesday.

The Anteaters lead the Big West in blocks (2.50) with Soana Leaea topping the conference at 1.21 blocks per set followed by Ella Gardiner with a 1.08 mark. 

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.

MIDDLE BLOCKERS SHINE
Middle blockers Ella Gardiner and Soana Leaea have continued to shine over the last two weeks of action.

Gardiner led the Anteaters with a career and match-high 19 kills the last time out versus Cal. The graduate student is fourth in the Big West in hitting percentage (.354) and second in blocks (1.08). She had a career-best seven blocks against North Dakota and Wyoming which is tied for seventh most this season in the Big West.

Leaea, who leads the Big West in blocks with a 1.21 average, knocked down a career-high 11 kills versus Cal last week. She had a career-high 12 total blocks (1 solo, 11 assisted) against Portland. The 11 block assists are tied for second most in a match in the UCI record book and fourth most in the NCAA this season. The 12 total blocks are tied for fifth most in the country.

Gardiner is averaging 2.32 kills per set, while Leaea is averaging 1.64.

PINS LEAD THE OFFENSE
Graduate students Hunter Riedl and Katie Smith lead the Anteaters offensively.

Riedl is 10th in the Big West in kills with a 3.13 average and eighth in points at 3.82. Last week, the opposite was named to the Buffs All-Tournament team after averaging 2.71 kills, 1.07 digs and 0.93 blocks.

Smith is second on the team with a 2.59 kill average, while also averaging 2.23 digs and 0.41 aces. She totaled a team-best and career-high 20 kills versus Portland, the 13th most in the Big West. The outside hitter has also fired a career-best four aces three times this season.

The duo each have a career-high six block assists this season.

NAPOLEON ADDS FIREPOWER
Outside hitter Emma Napoleon led UCI in the win over Wyoming with a career-high 15 kills. She is averaging 2.13 kills and 1.96 digs over 23 sets.

The sophomore has started the last three matches, posting double-digit kills three times this season.

DIGGING 'EM UP
Libero Campbell Jensen is eighth in the Big West with a 3.13 dig average. Her season-best 23 digs against Tulane are tied for seventh most in the Big West in 2024.

Defensive specialist Maia Niemen quietly helped anchor the defense with a 1.13 dig average. She has had at least two digs in every match this year, including a season-best eight versus Bradley.

UP NEXT
UCI starts the Big West schedule traveling to Cal State Fullerton Tues (Sept. 24) and Hawaii Friday (Sept. 20).