The UC Irvine Women’s Volleyball team (11-7, 5-2) narrowly defeated rival Long Beach State University (11-6, 5-2) in a tense 3-2 match at the Walter Pyramid at Long Beach State on Oct. 18.
The last time the two met was last year’s Big West Championship Quarterfinal, in which Long Beach got the better of UCI, winning 3-2. The ‘Eaters came into this latest installment of the Black and Blue Rivalry seeking revenge in a crucial early conference matchup.
In the first set, the Anteaters jumped to an early lead behind the play of graduate opposite/outside hitter Hunter Riedl. Riedl, who entered the match leading the team in kills per set with 2.99, was responsible for UCI’s first four points. In addition to a block assist, she recorded three kills to bring the final score to 4-2.
UC Irvine controlled the majority of the set, but a determined and scrappy Long Beach refused to go away. After trailing all set, Long Beach tied the game 19-19 after an attacking error from Riedl and various other Anteaters.
Still, Irvine gained a 23-21 advantage after a few solid kills and errors led by the Sharks, but Long Beach once again refused to go down without a fight, leveling the score at 23-23. The back and forth continued until CSULB squeaked out the set 26-28 after UCI made multiple errors, ending the first of five games. Despite the first set loss, Riedl led the set with an impressive eight kills.
The second set started in favor of the Beach, who jumped out to an early 6-11 lead courtesy of a kill from senior setter Zayna Meyer. However, the ‘Eaters would not go down quietly. Behind four aces, two of them coming from senior defensive specialist Amanda Leinbach, UCI tied the game at 21 a piece.
UCI went on to outscore CSULB 4-2 in the final six plays to earn a crucial win in the second set. A back-row attacker violation by Meyer gave UCI the set-clinching 25th point, evening the match 1-1.
Set three seemed due for another nail-biting finish, especially when both teams could not be separated on the scoreboard for the first 26 points. Tied 13-13, Long Beach senior outside hitter Natalie Glenn catapulted the Sharks ahead with a 9-0 run with four kills. From then on, it was only a formality as Long Beach ran away with the third set, 16-25. The ‘Eaters struggled in the set only hitting -.027.
However, the Anteaters improved in a must-win fourth set, bursting out to an early 8-4 lead. Their dominance continued behind the play of graduate outside hitter Katie Smith, who tallied a kill and a service ace during a 5-0 run — resulting in a 13-4 UCI lead.
Irvine junior libero Campbell Jensen continued this success, adding three service aces to make the score a convincing 23-11. The ‘Eaters held off a late Long Beach run to win the set in dominating fashion, 25-17, forcing the match to come to a winner-take-all fifth set.
In the race to 15 points, both teams leveled 6-6 after nine combined errors. After the third service ace of the night from Smith, the Sharks began to pull away with a block assist from Meyer and sophomore middle blocker Ella Lomigora.
Down 9-13 and just two points away from losing, Irvine rallied for five straight points, two of them coming from service aces by Jensen to lead 14-13. After a Riedl kill was matched by Long Beach redshirt freshman outside hitter Jaida Harris, the game was tied at 15.
Presumably anyone’s game, UCI scored two points in a row from a kill by graduate middle blocker Ella Gardiner and a Long Beach error. The Anteaters escaped with a hard-earned 17-15 victory, just edging out Long Beach State 3-2.
The story of the match was Irvine’s effectiveness in serving. The Anteaters combined for a season-high 14 aces. Jensen’s five total aces marked a career-high, while Riedl and Smith also proved major contributors with 15 kills each. Sophomore rightside/setter Nicole Feliciano led the team with 41 assists.
The Anteaters failed to keep momentum, losing to the UC San Diego Tritons (11-8, 5-3), 2-3 in La Jolla, Calif. on Oct. 19.
Jordan Hum is a Sports Intern for the fall 2024 quarter. He can be reached at jrhum@uci.edu.
Edited by Benjamin Flores