UCI Rolls to First Big West Win with 3-1 Victory over Cal State Fullerton

Saturday, September 26

Irvine, Calif.

5:00 PM

UC Irvine

3-10,1-1Big West

Cal State Fullerton

5-10,0-2Big West

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Cal St. Fullerton	17	25	17	17	1
UC Irvine	25	19	25	25	3

Box Score (PDF)

The UC Irvine women's volleyball players celebrate on the court after winning a point in their match against Cal State Fullerton.

UCI Rolls to First Big West Win with 3-1 Victory over Cal State Fullerton

September 26, 2026 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine women's volleyball was dominant at the net in a 25-17, 19-25, 25-17, 25-17 victory over Cal State Fullerton Saturday evening at the Bren Events Center.

The Anteaters, who earned their first Big West win, finished with a season-high 17.5 total team blocks. Four 'Eaters registered at least five blocks, led by sophomore middle Abby Pekrul who had a career-best 10.

Junior libero Whitney Wallace was ready for anything that did get past UCI's front line as she scooped up a match-high 21 digs. It was her fifth 20+ dig effort of the year.

Freshman middle Taylor Boice and junior outside hitter Madison Triplett paced the offense with 13 and 12 kills, respectively. Boice also had five block assists.

Freshman outside Memphis Burnett added seven kills to go along with a season-best 11 digs and six blocks. Junior opposite Ava Gronemeyer contributed a season-high six kills and a career-high six blocks.

Senior setter Nicole Feliciano continued to do it all, totaling 28 assists, 16 digs, four kills, three blocks, and two service aces.

As a team, the Anteaters won the battle in kills (48-41), digs (69-62), and blocks (17.5-8). They also hit .160, while holding CSF to .030.

The Titans (5-10, 0-2 Big West) did not have anyone reach double digits in kills as they were led by Kaia Herweg's nine. Kaieva Christensen notched a team-best 13 digs.

HOW IT HAPPENED: UC Irvine (3-10, 1-1 Big West) came out firing in the first set, going up 4-0 on a Wallace ace. The Anteaters stayed out front until Cal State Fullerton scored five straight to take its only lead of the frame at 10-9. The 'Eaters responded with a 6-1 spurt, capped by a Feliciano kill, to go back on top by four (15-11). UCI kept its foot on the gas, cruising to the 25-17 win.

The Titans regrouped, racing out to a 10-3 advantage in set two. They went up by as many as 10 before UC Irvine used a late five-point run to cut the deficit in half. CSF then ended the rally with a kill to take the set, 25-19.

The Anteaters reeled off five unanswered, including three-straight blocks, to start the third. Cal State Fullerton knotted it up at 6-all, but the 'Eaters scored five of the next six to reclaim an 11-7 lead. The Titans kept it close until consecutive kills from Gronemeyer ended a 7-0 stretch that made it 19-11. UCI continued to roll to the 25-17 victory.

CSF came out strong in the fourth as it scored the first three points, but UC Irvine punched right back with an 11-3 run to force a Titans' timeout. Cal State Fullerton closed the gap to three before kills from Triplett and Boice bookended a 9-4 spurt that gave the Anteaters a comfortable 20-12 cushion. UCI held steady the rest of the way, closing out the match with another 25-17 win.

UP NEXT: UC Irvine continues Big West play on the road next weekend, traveling to UC Riverside (Oct. 2) and California Baptist (Oct. 3).

NOTES
• Abby Pekrul's 10 block assists were the most by an Anteater since Soana Lea'ea on Sept. 7, 2024.
• Her 10 block assists are tied for 13th in single-match school history.
• After not recording a solo block in the first 11 matches, Madison Triplett has at least one in each of the last two.
• Triplett has also reached double figures in kills in four of her last five outings.
• Whitney Wallace has registered 10+ digs in each of the last 10 matches.
• UCI has now won nine in a row in its all-time series with Cal State Fullerton.