In a competitive Big West Conference matchup, the UC Irvine Anteaters (14-11, 8-6) faced off against Long Beach State (15-9, 9-5) in a four-set battle. Long Beach State took an early lead, winning the first two sets 25-22 and 26-24, while UCI came back to claim the third set 25-22. However, Long Beach State regained control in the fourth set, ultimately winning the set 25-21, claiming the match.
Set 1
The opening set was a tight contest, with both teams exchanging points early on. UCI initially grabbed a 1-0 lead but soon found themselves trailing as Long Beach State quickly took back the lead at 3-1. UCI managed to even the score at 6-6 following a kill by graduate student opposite hitter Katie Smith. The Anteaters kept up the fight as senior middle blocker Ofure Iselen delivered back-to-back blocks, giving UCI a narrow 9-8 lead. Building on this momentum, UCI later pulled ahead 21-19. However, Long Beach State rallied, scoring six of the final seven points to claim the set 25-22.
Set 2
The second set proved to be another closely contested frame, as neither team could create a decisive gap, with the score staying within two points for the entire duration. Junior outside hitter Kendra MacDonald led the charge with powerful kills early on, helping UCI maintain an edge at key points and contributing to a 10-10 tie. An injury to graduate opposite hitter Hunter Riedl prompted a substitution, bringing in junior outside hitter Kendra Duffey, who immediately made an impact with two powerful kills. Despite UCI’s efforts, Long Beach State continued to battle back, matching each of UCI’s advances point for point. With the score tied at 24-24, a service error by Long Beach temporarily shifted the momentum in UCI’s favor. However, the Anteaters’ push was short-lived, as Long Beach State responded with two blocks in the final moments, securing the set at 26-24 and taking a 2-0 lead in the match.
Set 3
UCI quickly jumped to a 9-5 lead with contributions from Smith, who delivered two kills, and Iselen, who joined her at the net for multiple blocks. The Anteaters extended their lead to 12-6 with consecutive kills from Duffey and Iselen. Long Beach State attempted to close the gap, with two UCI errors and a service ace helping them reach 15-20. After another UCI kill, Long Beach State managed to narrow the score further to 18-21. A kill by Iselen and an ace by Smith pushed the Anteaters ahead, 23-18. Although Long Beach State pushed back with two kills, UCI held on, with Duffey hitting off the block for set point at 24-20. Emma Napoleon then closed out the set, 25-22, for UCI, forcing a fourth set.
Set 4
In the fourth set, Long Beach State came out strong, taking advantage of five UCI attack errors to establish an early 5-1 lead. UCI fought back with a MacDonald kill and two Long Beach State attack errors to bring the score to 6-9. A key rally ensued— Long Beach State pushed their lead to 16-11. UCI narrowed the deficit with four consecutive points, thanks to MacDonald’s kills and Smith’s blocks. However, Long Beach State regained momentum and extended their lead to 20-16, prompting a UCI timeout. A few late attack errors from UCI allowed Long Beach State to take control, and the set concluded at 25-21, giving Long Beach State a 3-1 match victory.
This match marked UCI’s second consecutive loss, bringing their Big West record to 8-6, while Long Beach State improved to 9-5 with their third straight victory. Up next, UCI travels to face UC Santa Barbara on Nov. 15 and Cal Poly on Nov. 16 for their final regular-season road trip.
Abigail Park is a Sports Intern for the fall 2024 quarter. She can be reached at appark@uci.edu.
Edited by Jack Fedor and Jaheem Conley.