Asuka "Cleans Up for the 'Eaters"!

February 24, 2007

BRENT ASUKA POSTS CAREER BEST 21 DIGS AS NO. 2 UC IRVINE TOPPLES NO. 10 CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE, 3-1 (Boxscore)

Irvine, Calif. – Libero Brent Asuka recorded a career-high 21 digs as No. 2 UC Irvine toppled No. 10 Cal State Northridge, 3-1 (30-25, 30-24, 24-30, 30-18) Saturday at the Bren Events Center.

Asuka’s career-best 21 digs is tied for second most in the UCI match record book, two shy of the school record of 23 set by James Felton in 1991.The sophomore's 21 digs is the most by a UCI player since rally scoring began in 2001. The 21 digs is also the third most in the country this season.

UCI’s Jayson Jablonsky led all players with 18 kills, while adding two service aces and five digs. Opposite Matt Webber recorded 16 kills, an ace and six digs. Middle blocker David Smith tallied seven kills, hit .583 (7-0-12) and had a team-high five block assists. Setter Brian Thornton added 52 set assists, six digs and three blocks in the victory. Sophomore Taylor Wilson came off the bench, sparking UCI with eight kills, four digs, an ace and two total blocks in the final two games.

Isaac Kneubuhl and James Lisher each totaled 11 kills to lead Cal State Northridge with Eric Vance following at 10 kills. Kneubuhl led the Matadors with nine digs, while middle blocker Kyle Waite had a match-high six total blocks. The Matadors out-blocked UCI 12.0-8.0. CSUN hit .169 for the match.

UCI opened game one with an 8-1 advantage and continued to lead 17-9 before Northridge went on a 9-5 spurt to close within 22-18. The Matadors would get no closer than four the rest of the way as UCI would take the first set 30-25.

The Anteaters never trailed in game two, scoring three straight points, including a pair of kills by Webber to pull ahead 11-7. After Cal State Northridge narrowed the Anteater lead to 13-9 on a Waite kill, UCI went on a 4-1 run to push the margin to 17-12. UCI would go on to win 30-24.

Game three was all Cal State Northridge as the Anteaters hit .000 (9-9-34). The Matadors jumped out to a 23-10 advantage then watched UCI score the next six points to try and make it interesting (23-16), but the lead was too large as CSUN took the game 30-24. Vance had four kills for the Matadors, while Waite was a perfect three kills in three attempts in that game.

UCI broke game four open on a 12-4 run to take a 21-12 lead on three kills by Taylor Wilson and five Matadors miscues. UCI ended the match with a 30-18 third game victory.

The Anteaters improve to 17-3 overall and 11-3 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, while Cal State Northridge falls to 8-9 on the year and 6-6 in league play.