THIS WEEK
No. 4 USC at No. 5 UC Irvine 
Wednesday, Feb. 11 | 6:00 PM PT | Bren Events Center
Stats   
 
No. 5 UC Irvine at  No. 4 USC
Friday, Feb. 13 | 7:00 PM PT | Galen Center
Stats   :Watch: Big10+

In a battle of the un-beatens, No. 5 UC Irvine hosts No. 4 USC Wednesday (Feb. 11) at the Bren Events Center. First serve is 6:00 p.m. The teams head to the Galen Center for round two Friday (Feb. 13) at 7:00 p.m.

STORYLINES
UC Irvine is 11-0 overall, the most wins in the country.

The Anteaters join USC (7-0), UCLA (10-0) and Belmont Abbey (3-0) as the four undefeated teams nationally.

It's the first time in program history UCI has started the season with 11 consecutive wins.

This week's match-up features two of the best offensive teams in the country. USC ranks fifth in hitting percentage (.369), while the Anteaters are ranked seventh (.360). UCI is also ranked eighth in aces (1.77), while the Trojans are sixth in blocks (2.65).

The match also features two of the 15 players named to the inaugural AVCA National Player of the Year Watch List – UCI's Andrej Jokanovic and USC's Dillon Klein.  Jokanovic is the lone freshman on the list.

Middle blocker Trevor Clark leads the nation in hitting percentage at .583 and is 14^th in blocks (1.12).

Last week, UCI beat neighbors Vanguard and Concordia, 3-1.

Freshman Andrej Jokanovic led the Anteaters in both matches with 12 kills versus the Lions and a career-high 23 versus the Golden Eagles.

TALKING TROJANS
USC kept their unblemished record with wins over CSUN (3-2) and UC Santa Barbara (3-0) last week.

UCI has won the last two meetings with USC, sweeping the series for the first time since 2018. The Anteaters won 3-2 at the Bren then 3-0 at the Galen Center.

In a rivalry that has featured several epic moments over the years, last year's contest at the Bren Center ranked up there. UCI won the fifth set, 28-26, with the game seeing 23 ties and seven lead changes as the Anteaters fought off eight match points before a Trojan service error was followed by a solo block by Hilir Henno to end the match.

Middle blocker Wesley Smith was named the MPSF/Molten Defensive Player of the Week

AROUND THE BIG WEST
Trevor Clark leads the Big West in hitting percentage (.583) and third in blocks (1.13). Jokanovic is second in kills per set (3.51), third in points (4.13), 10^th in aces (0.40) and 19^th in digs (1.23).

Shane Aitken leads the Big West in digs (2.13), while Andon Kiriakou is fourth at 1.82.  Micah Goss is 10^th in aces 0.37

BIG WEST WEEKLY HONOREES
Cameron Kosty, Andon Kiriakou and Andrej Jokanovic earned Big West weekly honors after performances in wins over Vanguard and Concordia.

Kosty earns his first Big West Setter of the Week accolade, while Andon Kiriakou earned his first career Defensive Player of the Week award. Outside hitter Andrej Jokanovic earned his third Big West Freshman of the Week honor.

Jokanovic posted a career-high 23 kills in the win over Concordia, the third most by a Big West player and ninth nationally in a four-set match this season. He hit .474 (23-5-38) with five digs and two block assists against the Golden Eagles. The freshman started the week with a team-best with 12 kills against Vanguard. He also had seven digs, two blocks and two aces. Jokanovic averaged 4.38 kills, 1.50 digs, 0.50 blocks and 0.38 last week, keeping his ace streak alive with at least one in every match this season. Last week, Jokanoivic was the lone freshman to be named to the 15-player AVCA National Player of the Year Watch List.

Kosty guided UCI to a pair of victories last week averaging 9.25 set assists,1.00 digs and 0.63 blocks. He totaled 34 set assists, four total blocks (1 solo), and an ace at Vanguard then recorded 40 set assists, four kills and one block assist at Concordia. The redshirt freshman recorded four digs in each match last week. The Anteaters hit .410 against the Lions and .315 versus the Golden Eagles.
Kiriakou led the UCI backline with a 1.63 digs and 0.50 block average. The junior had a team-high eight digs against Vanguard with a block assist and seven kills. Against Concordia, he had five digs and three total blocks (2 solo). The outside hitter also had four kills in the win over the Golden Eagles and added an ace each night.