Irvine Sweeps the 'Slugs

Jordan DuFault with a backside jack

FROM:
http://ucirvinesports.cstv.com/sports/m-volley/recaps/013008aab.html

If you haven't already you've got to check out Nick Spittle's blog in "Passing Time With Nick" at:

http://ucirvinesports.cstv.com/sports/m-volley/spec-rel/spittle-blog.html

Thornton was blogging last year and it looks like Nick will be kickin' down this year!
The 'Eaters saw everyone play this evening. It was great seeing ADP, Nick Spittle, "Chili" Ortiz, Kooter (Kohout), JD, Ammo, Steller and the rest of the boys get a couple swings at the ball!

Team Effort Gives UC Irvine Sweep Of UC Santa Cruz, 3-0
Nine different Anteaters record kills

Jan. 29, 2008
Final Stats

Irvine, Calif. - The UC Irvine (6-5) men's volleyball team swept UC Santa Cruz, 3-0 (30-22, 31-29, 30-24) in a non-conference match Tuesday at Crawford Court.

Game one was all UCI, opening up on an 8-2 run and never relinquishing the lead on the way to a 30-22 win. Freshman outside hitter Cory Yoder led the team with five kills, hitting .833 (5-0-6).

UC Santa Cruz (6-4) led 23-20 in game two before junior Jon Steller stepped back to the service line and fired three consecutive aces to knot the score at 23-23. The Banana Slugs opened another three-point advantage at 28-25 when Steller was the man again recording three of UCI's four kills in a 4-1 spurt to tie the score at 29-29. A block by Steller and Brett Kohout set up game point which was an ace fired by Jordan DuFault (31-29). The Banana Slugs out-hit UCI .310 to .207, but the Anteaters fired five service aces and had four blocks combined with six Santa Cruz service errors.

Game three was much like game one with UCI jumping out to an early lead and going on to a 30-24 victory.

Freshman Jordan DuFault led UCI with eight kills, while Jon Steller and freshman Alex DaPron each tallied seven kills. Steller fired five aces on the night which is tied for fifth in the UCI match record books. Sophomore Cole Reinholm added six kills, while Anthony Spittle recorded 30 assists. Yoder, and seniors Mike Ortiz and Brett Kohout ended the night with five kills with Kohout leading all players with seven blocks.

UC Santa Cruz has two players in double-figure kills led by Brad Sullivan with 12 and Bryan Shires with 10. Setter Eric Rowell had 31 assists and libero Justin Lam led all players with seven digs.

Ninth-ranked UC Irvine will travel to No. 4 UCLA Friday (Feb. 1) for a 7:00 p.m. match at Pauley Pavilion.

Taylor Wilson MPSF & AVCA Player of the Week!

Taylor Wilson Sweeps Player of the Week Honors
Junior earns first career National Player of the Week distinction

Jan. 28, 2008


Irvine, Calif. -- UC Irvine's Taylor Wilson, a 6-7 right side/opposite, swept the men's volleyball honors this week, earning Sports Imports/AVCA Division I-II Men's Volleyball National Player of the Week as well as Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Player of the Week distinction.

Wilson led his team to two road wins over nationally-ranked opponents last week, including an upset of then-No. 2 Pepperdine.

In the Anteaters' 3-1 defeat of the Waves, Wilson put away a career-high 24 kills in 47 attempts and only eight errors for a .340 hitting percentage. The junior also had four digs and three total blocks in the win. He recorded 19 kills, five digs and three total blocks in UCI's 3-1 win over No. 11 USC.

For the week, Wilson averaged 5.38 kills, 1.12 digs and 6.13 points per game. It is Wilson first National honor and the first for an Anteater player this year. Wilson becomes the eighth UC Irvine player to have earned the Sports Imports/AVCA Division I-II Men's National Player of the Week distinction.

The ninth-ranked Anteaters (5-5, 3-3) will host UC Santa Cruz in a non-conference match Tuesday (Jan. 29) at 7:00 p.m. before traveling to No. 4 UCLA Friday for a 7:00 p.m. match in Pauley Pavilion.

Trojans Upended By Anteaters @ Galen

Cory Yoder Risin' High

Freshmen Post Career-High Nights To Help No. 10 UC Irvine Past No. 11 USC, 3-1
Yoder; Wynne Post Career-High Kills

Jan. 25, 2008

Final Stats

Los Angeles, Calif. -- Freshmen Cory Yoder and Kevin Wynne posted career-highs in kills to help lead the Anteaters to a 3-1 (30-28, 30-26, 27-30, 30-24) victory over No. 11 USC at the Galen Center Friday.

The score was tied 26-26 in game one when two Trojan attack errors gave UCI the 28-26 advantage. An Anteater service error was followed by a kill by Taylor Wilson to give UCI match point, 29-27. A UCI attack error delayed the victory until Cory Yoder pounded a kill for a 30-28 game one win. The largest lead of game one was two points.

UCI built a 6-3 lead on consecutive kills by Wilson, Anthony Spittle and Yoder and led the rest of the way taking the second set 30-26. Wilson put away seven kills in game two.

Game three was all USC with the Trojans winning 30-27. USC opened the game on a 5-0 spurt. Murphy Troy sparked the Trojans with five kills.

The Anteaters opened game four on a 6-2 run. USC closed within 19-18, but the Anteaters rattled off four straight to give UCI a 23-19 cushion. The Anteaters won the game 30-24 and the match 3-1. USC hit .152 in the final game, while UCI hit .361.

UCI has won two in a row, evening its record to 5-5 overall and 3-3 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. USC goes to 4-5 and 3-3 in league play.

Junior Taylor Wilson led UCI with 19 kills, but freshman Cory Yoder and Kevin Wynne shined posting career nights. Yoder recorded a career-high 16 kills, hitting .469 (16-1-32), while Wynne hit .533 (9-1-15), pounding a career best nine kills. Wynne and senior Aaron Harrell led the team with six blocks. Freshman Kevin Carroll added 12 kills and libero Brent Asuka had a team-high 13 digs. Freshman Anthony Spittle tallied 57 assists, while Jon Steller came in game four and had three kills.

Juan Figueroa paced the Trojans with 20 kills, while Troy Murphy recorded 17 kills. Setter Jimmy Killian totaled 50 assists and a team-high seven blocks. The Trojans out-blocked UCI 16-12.5.