UC Irvine Hits The Road For Two Important MPSF Matches
March 2, 2010
HITS THE ROAD THIS WEEK: 12th-ranked UC Irvine (9-9, 5-8) hits the road in crucial MPSF matches this week. The Anteaters will travel to No. 10 UC Santa Barbara Wednesday (Mar. 3) at 7:00 p.m. in Robertson Gym then to No. 5 UCLA Friday (Feb. 5) for a 7:00 p.m. match in Pauley Pavilion.
VERSUS THE OPPONENTS: UCI trails UC Santa Barbara (17-30) and UCLA (11-38) in the series records. All but one of UCI’s all-time wins against the Bruins have come under the direction of John Speraw.
In the first meeting, UCSB defeated UCI 3-1 at home. UCSB’s Jeff Menzel led all players with 27 kills followed by Cullen Irons with 22 kills and 10 digs and Jake Rosener with 15 kills. Cole Reinholm and Connor Hughes came off the bench and led UCI with 16 and 14 kills, respectively. UCSB is 8-8 overall and 6-5 in the MPSF. The Gauchos won the Springfield Hall of Fame Classic last week with 3-0 wins over Springfield and Ohio State.
This will be the first meeting with the Bruins this year. UCI has won the last four meetings. UCLA enters the week 9-8 overall and 8-9 in the MPSF. UCLA will host Lewis in a non-conference match Wednesday before entertaining the Anteaters.
SERVING BULLETS: UCI fired 17 service aces last week with 11 coming against UC San Diego. Six different Anteaters recorded an ace last week. The Anteaters are averaging 1.6 aces per set over the last three matches.
MPSF STATISTICS: UCI ranks second in aces (1.57) and third in hitting percentage (.325) in the MPSF. The Anteaters are also fourth in blocks (2.84).
D’AMORE IN THE MIDDLE: Sophomore middle blockers Austin D’Amore ranks ninth in blocking among MPSF players with 1.17 average. Last week, he tied his season-high for block assists with seven against UC San Diego.
WYNNE AT SETTER: Ian Wynne has assumed the starting setter position the last two matches and has averaged 10.11 assists and 2.33 digs per set. Wynne recorded a career-high 52 set assists and 13 digs against UCSD.
CLARK LEADS: Sophomore opposite Carson Clark leads the team and is third in the MPSF in kills (5.08) and in points (5.80). He leads the team and ranks second in the MPSF in aces with a 0.42 average. Clark has recorded 20 or more kills in 10 matches this year.
ANTEATERS SPLIT MATCHES LAST WEEK: UCI fell in five, 2-3 at No. 9 Long Beach State then defeated No. 14 UC San Diego, 3-1 at home.
Carson Clark led UCI in both matches last week, recording 15 kills against the Forty-Niners and 27 kills versus the Tritons. Clark also fired four service aces in each match.
UCI GOES TO NO. 12: UC Irvine dropped one spot to 12th in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll. The Anteaters have been ranked in the nation’s top 15 for 84 consecutive weeks.
DON’T GO 5: The Anteaters are 0-5 this season in five-game matches.
