No. 5 UC Irvine fought hard against No. 3 Long Beach State but lost the match in a thrilling five sets. After dropping the first two sets (25-17, 25-21), the Anteaters rallied to win the next two (26-24, 25-21) but ultimately fell in the decisive set, 15-9. This defeat puts UCI's record at 17-6 and 5-4 in conference play, securing the No. 3 seed for the upcoming conference championship. Long Beach State improved to 21-4 overall and claimed the second seed in the tournament.

By the Numbers
  • UCI hit .207, its second-lowest percentage of the season, while LBSU hit .361.
  • Andrej Jokanovic recorded 14 kills and 11 digs for a double-double, leading the Anteaters.
  • The Anteaters out-acred LBSU 7-3 despite the loss.
State of Play
  • UCI is now 4-5 in five-set matches, with all losses to teams ranked in the top 8.
  • The Anteaters will compete next in the Big West Men's Volleyball Championship starting April 23.
  • Upcoming match will be a senior night against UC Santa Barbara.
What's Next

Looking ahead, UCI will aim to capture momentum in the Big West Championship, leveraging their experience from tight matches. Continued improvement in hitting efficiency will be crucial for success.

Bottom Line

The match highlighted UCI's resilience but also underscored the need for stronger offensive performance. As they head into the conference championship, focusing on consistent execution will be pivotal for advancing further.