RENO, Nev. --- UC Irvine was pushed to five games for the second consecutive day but defeated Connecticut 3-2 (25-17, 23-25, 25-14, 19-25, 15-7) Saturday at the Nevada Marriott/Fairfield Courtyard Invitational. The Anteaters, 2-0, conclude tournament action tonight at 7:00 p.m. against the host Wolf Pack.
Junior Kari Pestolesi (Huntington Beach/Edison HS) was one kill shy of tying her career-high with a match-leading 23 kills. The outside hitter added 18 digs and two block assists. Junior Juliane Piggott (Newport Beach/UCLA) put away 12 kills while Riley Cropper (Seal Beal/Los Alamitos HS) tied a career-high with eight. Setter Taryn Robertson (Valencia/HS) handed out 48 assists while totaling eight kills, seven digs and three block assists and freshman Kristin Winkler (Los Altos/St. Francis HS) topped the team with 20 digs. Alexandra Hauser (Chino Hills/Ayala HS) led all players with five block assists.
UCI, the designated home team, trailed early against the Huskies in set one following a four-point run (12-9). However, the Anteaters mounted an 8-2 attack to claim a 17-14 lead. A second five-point run gave the team a comfortable edge and the Anteaters would score the final three points to win the set.
The Huskies took an early 7-6 advantage and led by as many as seven points (17-10). UCI trimmed the margin to three at 20-17 and then scored five straight for a 22-20 lead. UConn tied the set on a UCI attack error and then trailing 23-22, scored three straight to win the set.
It was all UCI in set No. 3 as the Anteaters jumped out to an 11-6 lead. A 6-2 run gave the team its biggest margin at nine points (17-8) and UCI would go on to take a 2-1 set lead.
UConn leapt to a 10-point lead at 18-8 in the fourth set as UCI was held to an .028 hitting percentage. UCI came as close as six points on back-to-back errors by the Huskies but would be forced into a deciding set.
The Anteaters rebounded in game five, blasting a .412 (8-1-17) hitting percentage while UConn was held to .-059. UCI took a 3-0 lead as Robertson and Cropper paired up to block Jordan Kirk twice at the net and prompting a Husky timeout. Following a UCI service error, Pestolesi and Piggott put the ball away for consecutive kills and a 5-1 lead. McCall Miller (Laguna Beach/Mater Dei HS) found Robertson for a kill, forcing UConn to take its final timeout at 8-2. Leading 9-5, UCI out-scored UConn 6-2 for the win.
