BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Outside hitter Madison Triplett had a career-high 21 kills to lead UC Irvine to a 3-1 victory over CSU Bakersfield (25-22, 25-18, 18-25, 25-19) at the Icardo Center on a rainy Saturday.

Triplett, who bettered her career-best by seven kills, hit .357 (21-6-42). She also had seven digs, an ace and a block assist. Her 21 kills are the most by an Anteater this season.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
>Libero Campbell Jensen collected 27 digs, the seventh most in the Big West this season
>Outside hitter Kendra Duffey totaled 12 kills, seven digs, two aces and two block assists
>Middle blocker Ally Bolden had seven kills and two block assists
>Freshman Ava Gronemeyer made her first career start and put down a career-best seven kills to go with a career-high three digs and two block assists
>Middle blocker Sydnee Rowe led the team with three block assists. She also had seven kills
>Setter Nicole Feliciano was one shy of a double-double with 43 set assists and nine digs. She also added three kills
>The Anteaters were out-blocked (10-5) and bettered at the service line (12-6). UCI held the advantage in hitting percentage (.213-.154) and digs (65-54)
>The Anteaters, who are fighting for a spot in the Big West Championship, go to 12-16 overall and 7-9 in the Big West. CSUB falls to 6-22 and 3-13.
>Nicole Zake led the 'Runners with 15 kills, while Sabrina Jones had seven total blocks

FIRST SET
>Four in a row by UCI, which included three hitting errors by CSUB, one a block by Sydnee Rowe and Duffey, 11-6
>Another block by Sydnee Rowe and Kendra Duffey helped UCI out to a 14-9 lead
>A cross court kill by Ava Gronemeyer (15-10) and a roll shot by Triplett  kept the Anteaters rolling, 17-13
>Back-to-back aces by the Roadrunners kept it interesting, 21-23
>A CSUB service error would end the set, 25-22

SECOND SET
>UCI took control early, using a kill by Rowe after a long rally was followed by an ace from Duffey and a kill by Triplett, 3-0
>UCI expanded the early lead to 10-1 behind Campbell Jensen on the service line. Triplett had three kills and two by Ally Bolden
>Back-to-back kills by Triplett and Bolden plus a 'Runner attack that hit the antenea gave UCI the 15-5 lead
>CSUB battled back with three kills and a UCI attack error to close to 10-16
>Kills by Duffey and Rowe stretch the margin back to 19-10
>A pair of aces during a 7-2 CSUB run made it interesting kept the Roadrunners in the set,  17-22
>UCI closed it out with a kill by Bolden and a Roadrunner miscue, 25-18

THIRD SET
>It was all Cal State Bakersfield, jumping out to a 5-0 lead on a kill, ace and three UCI attack errors
>After an attack error, CSUB had three more to extend the lead to 8-1
>An ace by Duffey made it 9-15
>The Anteaters kept fighting with consecutive kills by Triplett and Duffey, 13-18
>A block by the Roadrunners handed them a 25-18 victory
>UCI hit .050 for the set (12-10-40)

FOURTH SET
>A 7-1 explosion by UCI which included two aces by Izzy Romero and kills by Gronemeyer, Triplett and Nicole Feliciano to give the Anteaters an 8-2 lead
>The Roadrunners answered with the next four points to close within 6-8
>CSUB closed to 10-11 before UCI went on a 4-1 run with two kills by Rowe and another  by Duffey plus a block by Gronemeyer and Bolden, 15-11
>Back-to-back attack errors by the Roadrunners gave UCI a 19-13 advantage
>Gronemeyer would knock down the match-winner, 25-19

NOTES
>The match was played on a side court due to water from a large storm on the main court
>Jensen has seven 20-plus dig matches this season

UP NEXT
UCI returns home for its final two home matches, starting on Friday (Nov. 21) against UC Santa Barbara at 6:00 p.m. at the Bren Events Center.