UCI BEGINS CONFERENCE PLAY AT UCR: UC Irvine (5-8 overall) begins Big West Conference action Saturday at UC Riverside at 7:00 p.m. for the program's lone match of the week.

ON THE AIR: Saturday's match against UC Riverside will be broadcast on the Internet at ucirvinesports.com. Rob Espero will bring you the play-by-play. Click on the Listen Live link to access the broadcast.

ANTEATER ALUMNAE ON KARCH'S KRONICLES: Former Anteaters Ashlie Hain, Whitney Pavlik and Kelly Wing will appear on "Karch's Khronicles" on WEST and PRIME TICKET. In the two-minute segments designed to enhance Pac-10 volleyball coverage, Olympic Gold medalist Karch Kiraly will explain offensive systems, defensive coverage and coaching strategies using former players from UC Irvine and Irvine Valley College to demonstrate the drills. Please check the local listings for more information.

PESTOLESI VOTED TO ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM: Sophomore Kari Pestolesi (Huntington Beach/Edison HS) was named to the Golden Dome Invitational All-Tournament team after totaling 35 kills in three matches. Pestolesi also registered two double-doubles, finishing with 40 digs and three blocks.

On the season, Pestolesi leads UC Irvine with 142 kills and a 3.46 per set average. She also tops the team with 13 service aces and is second with 122 digs.

ROBERTSON MOVES TO No. 2: Setter Taryn Robertson (Valencia/HS) moved to second in the UCI career records after handing out 44 assists against Western Michigan. Robertson surpassed former Anteater Teri Zartman (1997-2000) and currently has tallied 3,051 assists. Ashlie Hain (2001-04) tops the annals with 5,698.

Robertson, who holds a 10.93 assist average is currently 40th in the nation and tops the Big West. The junior is also third in digs with 103 and tied for second with 31 total blocks. She is also hitting .364 with 47 kills, averaging 1.09 kills per set.

ELLIS EFFIECIENCY TOPS `EATERS: Junior Chelsea Ellis (Los Angeles/Brentwood HS) posted a .452 average in three matches last week. Against Western Michigan, Elllis pounded .545, committing just one error in 11 attempts with seven kills. Sunday, Ellis recorded her second .500-average performance, putting away nine of 14 attempts with two errors. Defensively, Ellis led the team with six block assists against Notre Dame, concluding tournament action with nine total blocks.

Ellis leads the team with 34 total blocks on 31 block assists and three solo blocks. She has 62 kills and is hitting .311 overall.

HOMAN MATCHES SEASON-HIGH IN BLOCKS: Senior Shannan Homan (Placentia/Wake Forest) recorded five block assists against Notre Dame, matching a season-high for the middle blocker.

In tournament action at Notre Dame, Homan totaled 18 kills and eight block assists while adding a service ace. Currently Homan is tied for second with 31 total blocks and is tied for fourth with five service aces. She is also third on the team with 97 kills and a 2.37-per set average.

SPREAD OFFENSE: The Anteaters have several offensive weapons on the team this year. Pestolesi leads the team in kills with outside hitter Lauren Kellerman (Escondido/HS) a close second with 128 kills and a 2.98 average. Homan is third, averaging 2.37 (97 kills) per set. Larissa Nordyke (Honolulu, HI/Punahou HS) is also a go-to player with 69 kills and a 2.23 average.

SUTHERLAND SCOOPIN' IT UP: Libero Devon Sutherland (Corona/Santiago HS) has picked up 190 digs this season and is averaging 4.42 digs per set. The senior, already UCI's all-time leader in career digs is also second and third in the season annals with 553 and 523, respectively. On the offensive end, Sutherland is third with six service winners.

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS: UC Riverside is 5-10 overall and will look to snap an eight-match losing streak this Saturday.

The Highlanders are led by Kelly Fink, who has posted 197 kills and 127 digs while boasting a team-high 3.72 average. Fink is also tied for first with 11 service aces. Angela Pizzella has 47 total blocks while Brittney Murrey has accumulated 474 assists.

THE SERIES: UC Irvine leads the series over UC Riverside 18-10. The Anteaters recorded a pair of wins over the Highlanders last season.

ANTEATERS IN THE NCAA: Taryn Robertson is ranked 24th among the NCAA's top setters with a 10.93 average. Devon Sutherland sits 57th (4.42) in digs per set while Kari Pestolesi is 108th in kills per set. As a team, UCI is 20th in kills per set (14.07), 17th in assists per set (13.07), and 49th in digs per set (15.44).

ANTEATERS IN THE BIG WEST: Chelsea Ellis climbed from ninth to fifth in the Big West in hitting percentage (.311) while Homan sits 10th (.261).

Robertson remains the best in the Big West in assist average (10.93) while Devon Sutherland (Corona/Santiago HS) also remains the conference leader with a 4.42 dig average. Kari Pestolesi moved up one spot to fifth in kills per set (3.46) while Lauren Kellerman is ninth (2.98). Pestolesi is also seventh in service aces at .32

As a team, UCI is first in kills (14.07), assists (13.07) and digs (15.44) and second in hitting percentage at .223 and digs (14.91).

WEEKEND WRAPUP: UC Irvine went 1-2 at the Golden Dome Invitational over the weekend. The Anteaters opened the tournament with a 3-0 win over Western Michigan and was led by Lauren Kellerman, who had 16 kills. Kari Pestolesi added 12 kills and 15 digs while Shannan Homan added nine kills. Chelsea Ellis put in seven kills while Taryn Robertson handed out 44 assists. Alexandra Hauser (China Hills/Ayala HS) topped the team with five block assists.

Pestolesi led UCI with 15 kills and added 12 digs in the straight set loss to Notre Dame. Devon Sutherland had a team-high 14 digs and Robertson registered 39 assists and nine digs.

UCI hit a season-low .133 in the 3-0 loss to Liberty. Larissa Nordyke and Chelsea Ellis led the team with nine kills apiece. Sutherland led all players with 18 digs while Pestolesi added 13. Robertson handed out 31 assists with six digs.