IRVINE, Calif. – UC Irvine swept Bradley (25-17, 25-18, 25-20) to close out the UCI/adidas Invitational Sunday at Crawford Hall.

For the second consecutive match, the Anteaters won the battle at the net, out-blocking Bradley 12-7. UCI also out-hit (.270-.105), dug 948-37) and ace'd (7-4) the Braves.  

Outside hitter Emma Napoleon had a season-high 11 kills to lead UCI while hitting .409 (11-2-22).

Outside hitter Katie Smith and middle blocker Soana Leaea were named to the all-tournament squad. UC Irvine, Portland and Idaho State all finished with 2-1 records over the invitational.

The Anteaters improve to 4-2 overall, while Bradley drops to 1-5.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
>Smith and middle blocker Ella Gardiner each totaled eight kills, with Gardiner hitting .636 and rejected five total blocks. Smith fired another ace and had two total blocks (1 solo)
>Leaea had her second consecutive impressive match, hitting .545 with six kills in 11 swings and no errors to go with six total blocks (1 solo)
>Opposite Hunter Riedl added six kills, two aces and five block assists
>Libero Campbell Jensen totaled 11 digs ad four set assists
>Setter Nicole Feliciano recorded 31 set assists, eight digs and two block assists
>Bradley was led by Anna Kiss' 11 kills

FIRST SET
>A kill by Hunter Riedl, an ace by Campbell Jensen and a block by Ella Gardiner gave UCI a quick 5-2 start
>Another 3-0 run by UCI, capped by an ace from Kendra MacDonald pushed the margin to 10-4
>Consecutive kills by Riedl and Soana Leaea extended the advantage to 16-8 before an ace by Riedl made it 18-9
>Five straight by Bradley, which included three Anteater attack errors, let the Braves back in, 15-19
>UCI answered with the next three and had kills by Katie Smith and Leaea to end the set, 25-17
>UCI had four aces in the frame

SECOND SET
>Bradley started the set with two aces then had back-to-back blocks to lead 5-2
>The Braves fired two more aces to go up 9-5
>Riedl and Leaea had two blocks in a 4-1 run which tied the set 12-12
>Three unanswered, including another Riedl and Leaea block, moved UCI in front 15-13
>A kill by Emma Napoleon trickled over the net then UCI had two more blocks, the last a solo by Gardiner, 18-15
>A kill by Napoleon and a Bradley attack error ended the set, 25-18
>UCI had six blocks in the set

THIRD SET
>Ater Bradley scored the first point of the set, UCI rattled off the next five helped by two Napoleon kills, 5-1
>Napoleon had three more kills and a block assist in a 5-0 run, 10-3
>Reidl added a kill and ace to stretch the lead to 14-5
>UCI went up 18-9 on a solo block by Leaea
>A Gardiner kill sealed the victory, 25-20

NOTES
>UCI's .270 mark was the best hitting percentage of the season
>Maia Niemen was once again solid on defense, logging a season-high eight digs

UP NEXT
UCI travels to the Buffs Invitational Friday-Sunday, meeting host Colorado in the first match Friday beginning at 6:00 p.m. PT

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Katie Smith, UC Irvine
Soana Leaea, UC Irvine
Lucia Busso, Portland
Tinoa Woodward-Hart, Portland
Asiah Sopo'aga, Idaho State
Aliyah Sopo'aga, Idaho State
Anna Kiss, Bradley