The UC Irvine Anteaters women’s volleyball team is set to battle in two key Big West Conference road matches this week. The Anteaters will face the Sacramento State Hornets at The Nest in Sacramento on Thursday, November 5, at 7 p.m. PST, followed by a match against the Utah Valley Wolverines at Lockhart Arena in Orem, Utah, on Saturday, November 7, at 11 a.m. PST.
UC Irvine enters these contests with a 9-14 overall record and a 7-5 mark in conference play, tied with Sacramento State for fourth place in the Big West standings. Sacramento State holds a 12-11 overall record and a 7-5 conference mark, while Utah Valley is 8-16 overall and 6-6 in conference, tied for sixth place, one game back. The top six teams will advance to the Big West Women’s Volleyball Championship, scheduled for November 25-28 in San Luis Obispo, California.
The Anteaters have been strong on the road in conference play with a perfect 5-0 away record but come into this stretch on a three-match losing streak after recent home losses to UC Santa Barbara, Cal Poly, and UC San Diego. Maintaining their success away from home is vital as they aim to secure a favorable postseason position.
Senior setter and tri-captain Nicole Feliciano leads UC Irvine with significant milestones this season, surpassing 3,000 career assists and joining the 1,000 career digs club, ranking fourth and tenth respectively all-time in program history. Junior libero Whitney Wallace leads the Big West with 395 digs and averages 4.44 digs per set, with multiple double-digit and 20-plus dig matches. Freshman middle blocker Taylor Boice leads UC Irvine in kills, blocks, and hitting percentage and has earned two Big West Rookie of the Week awards.
The Anteaters hold a 2-0 lead in the all-time series against Utah Valley but trail Sacramento State 4-1. Upon returning home, UC Irvine will host CSUN and Bakersfield and will honor seniors Nicole Feliciano, Lois Hansen, and Kendra MacDonald during their final homestand.
CSB Take
These upcoming road matches are crucial for UC Irvine Anteaters women’s volleyball as they seek to solidify their standing in the Big West Conference before postseason play. With the strong leadership of senior Nicole Feliciano and the defensive strength led by Whitney Wallace, the team’s flawless road conference record provides optimism to overcome a recent losing streak. Their performance on the road will be pivotal in determining their postseason seeding and in defining the senior class’s legacy.
Source: Original report
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