FIRST SERVE
UC Irvine hosts league-leading UC Davis Friday (Nov. 7) at 1:00 p.m. Please note the time change.

The Anteaters will entertain UC Riverside Saturday (Nov. 8) at 5:00 p.m.

Both matches are at the Bren Events Center.

STORYLINES
UC Irvine is 10-14 overall and 5-7 in the Big West. UCI is currently tied for sixth place with Hawaii.

Last week,  the Anteaters had their third consecutive sweep in a win at UC San Diego before snapping the streak in a 0-3 decision at Long Beach State.

Versus the Tritons, the Anteaters remained efficient, hitting .278 (51-14-133), the fifth best mark of the season.

This will be the last regular season meeting with UC Davis as the Aggies will be moving to the Mountain West Conference in 2026.

Following this week's action, UCI will have one more homestand Nov. 21 and 22. The Nov. 22 match against Cal Poly was also changed to an 1:00 p.m. first serve.

Middle blocker Sydnee Rowe was impressive against Long Beach State, pounding a career-high 10 kills in 17 attempts with no errors (.588). She also had a match-best six total blocks (2 solo).

 Outside hitter Kendra Duffey led UCI in the win over UC San Diego with 17 kills. Outside hitter Madison Triplett followed with a career-best 14 kills.

Rowe, who is in the Master of Innovation and Entrepreneurship program at UCI, will be facing her undergraduate alma mater on Saturday. The last time, UCI faced UCR, Rowe had a then-career-best nine kills, while hitting .421 (9-1-19). She also recorded a match-best five block assists.

BEST IN THE BIG WEST
For the second consecutive week, Campbell Jensen was named Big West Defensive Player of the Week. She averaged 6.00 digs over six sets last week.

Following a 21-dig performance at UC San Diego last Friday, the senior moved into second all-time in UCI digs and currently has 1,777 and counting. Only All-American Kristin Winkler has more with 2,260 from 2009-12.

Entering the week, the libero ranks fourth nationally in career digs among active Division I players and 24th among all divisions.
 
Jensen leads the Big West in dig average at 4.53. She has recorded 20 or more digs six times this season.

THE OPPONENTS
UC Davis leads the Big West with a 10-1 mark, dropping their lone match to Cal Poly. The Aggies are 15-5 overall.

UCD won the last two outings, a 3-0 win over UC Riverside and a 3-1 victory over Hawaii. It is the first regular season series sweep of Hawaii in program history. 

UCI lost the first meeting between the schools, 3-1, in Davis. combined for 155 digs, but the Aggie offensive was slightly better at .169 to .139.

UCI's 73 digs were a season-high, led by senior libero Campbell Jensen season-best 30, just two shy of her career-high. Only UC Davis' Ximena Cordero Barr had more this season with a match-high 35. Sophomore Madison Triplett totaled a career-high 17 digs to go with eight kills.

More defensive highlights came at the net with the Anteaters out-blocking UC Davis 15-6. Graduate student Sydnee Rowe recorded a career-high eight blocks.

On the offensive end, Kendra Duffey had a match-high 15 kills, while Ally Chandler led the Aggies with 14 kills.

The Highlanders enter the week 7-15 overall and 3-9 in the Big West.

UCR is looking to snap a four-match losing streak this week, stopping at Cal State Fullerton before heading to the Bren. Last week, the Highlanders lost to UC Davis (0-3) and Hawaii (1-3).

In the first meeting of the season, UC Irvine beat UC Riverside 3-0 earlier in Riverside.

The Anteaters were led by Rowe, Duffey and Jessica Bates with nine kills each. 

MORE ON ROWE
Graduate student Sydnee Rowe leads the team in blocking at a 1.25 clip which is good for second in the Big West. She is seventh in hitting percentage with a .299 mark.

The middle blocker has recorded four or more blocks in 13 outings,  including all but one of the last 14 matches.