UC Irvine women’s volleyball team moves on in post season play

UC Irvine’s women’s volleyball team advanced to the third round of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship with an exciting 3-2 victory over Pacific (25-21, 25-13, 19-25, 13-25, 15-13) at the Spanos Center  Wednesday, Nov. 29.
The Anteaters won their second consecutive post-season match after only having one post-season victory in program history (2003 NCAA).
UC Irvine will continue its post season journey in Texas, taking on Texas Tech Wednesday (Dec. 6) at the TCU Recreational Center in Fort Worth, TX.
The winner moves on to face either TCU or Green Bay in a semifinal match Thursday, Dec. 7.
UCI is now 24-7 overall, tying the school record for wins, previously set in 2003 (24-10).
The Anteaters posted a season-high 11 blocks, behind an impressive performance by middle blocker Makayla Wolfe in the win last Wednesday over Pacific. The sophomore had four solo blocks, which ranked tied for sixth in the UCI match record book with three of those solo rejections coming in the fifth set.  On the night, the reigning Big West Player of the Week posted a season-high nine total blocks to go with eight kills.
The Anteater offense was led by pin hitters Haley DeSales and Harlee Kekauoha. DeSales topped the squad with her 10th double-double of the season, recording 17 kills and a season-high 18 digs plus two service aces. Kekauoha followed with 16 kills and three aces.
Setter Ali Koumelis recorded 45 set assists and 16 digs, just one shy of her season high, while libero Luna Tsujimoto had a match-high 20 digs.
Pacific (17-14) was led by Emily Baptista’s 19 kills, Janie Fisher’s seven blocks and Katrin Gotterba’s 19 digs.
In the fifth set, UCI created some separation on a solo block by Wolfe and a DeSales kill to go up 5-2. Back-to-back kills by Ali Koumelis and DeSales extended the lead to 7-4. Pacific scored three in a row to creep within 11-10, but a Kekauoha kill stopped the momentum, 12-10.
After a Pacific kill, Wolfe had another solo stuff to give UCI the 13-11 cushion, but the Tigers battled back to tie the set 13-13. Another Wolfe block and a Pacific attack that flew wide sealed the win 15-13.
Men’s basketball team can’t get past Nevada
UC Irvine’s men’s basketball team could not overcome a second half surge by Nevada in a 76-65 loss to the Wolf Pack at the Bren Events Center Saturday, Dec. 2.
Nevada (8-0) shot 55.2 percent (16-29) in the second half, hitting 7 of 13 three-pointers to keep the Anteaters at bay. UCI (4-6) gave Nevada one of its toughest tests of the season as the Wolf Pack’s 76 points was second lowest of the year.
The Anteaters shot 43.1 percent from the field (28-65) overall, going 4-15 from beyond the arc. UCI controlled the glass, out-rebounding the Wolf Pack 45-32.
The Anteater bench accounted for 38 points led by Eyassu Worku’s 13 and Tommy Rutherford’s 10. Brandon Smith went 4 of 6 from the floor, recording nine points, while Elston Jones grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds to go with seven points and two blocks.
Four Nevada players led the attack with Jordan Caroline posting a double-double with game-high 24 points and 13 rebounds.
Nevada jumped out to a quick 8-0 lead before Brandon Smith scored UCI’s first point at 16:41.
The Wolf Pack built an 18-6 lead with 12:30 remaining in the first half, before the Anteaters caught fire, outscoring Nevada, 20-6, the last a block by Elston Jones that led to an John Edgar Jr. fast break layup and a three-pointer by Evan Leonard to give UCI its first lead of the game, 26-24 at 4:05.
After a pair of free throws by Nevada’s Jordan Caroline knotted the score at 26 all, a basket by Worku, a free throw by Jones and a layup by Smith closed out the half with the Anteaters holding the 31-26 advantage.
Kendal Stephens knocked down back-to back three-pointers and Caroline battled for a rebound put-back to force a UCI timeout as Nevada went back in front 42-37 at 15:29.
Two more three-pointers extended the Wolf Pack lead to 48-42 at 13:42. A three-pointer by Worku was followed by a Jones layup at 5:50 to draw the Anteaters within 64-59.
But the Wolf Pack answered, scoring the next four.
After a Smith free throw, Caroline hit a three-pointer to give Nevada its largest lead of the half, 71-60, with 1:32 to go. Worku hit a jumper with 48 seconds left (73-65), but that was UCI’s last points as Caleb Martin came back down the court and hit a three-pointer to close out the scoring.
Anteater faithful will have to wait until Thursday, Dec. 28 to see the team back at the Bren Events Center again as the squad will play the next five games on the road.
UCI started the road swing, traveling to Utah State on Wednesday, Dec. 6.
UCI men’s soccer player named all-region
UC Irvine’s senior men’s soccer player Giovanni Godoy was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Far West Region squad.
Godoy sparked an offensive outburst for the Anteaters in 2017 scoring 13 goals, four of which were game-winners, and adding three assist for a team and conference-high of 29 all leading to Big West Offensive Player of the Year honors, the eighth one in program history.
Godoy landed on the second team as the first UCI player to make the team since 2014 as he’s joined by two other Big West players in the second team and one of nine conference players in the region.
Source: Oc Register