LAS VEGAS 026 026 026 026 026 (- The University of California, Irvine Anteaters women’s volleyball team earned a 3-1 victory over Southeastern Louisiana University Lions on September 18, 2026, at The Pavilion in Las Vegas during The Rebel Challenge.
The Anteaters won the first set 25-19, dropped the second 24-26, then rallied to win the third and fourth sets 25-21 and 25-16, improving their overall record to 2-8 while Southeastern Louisiana fell to 3-8.
UC Irvine dominated statistically, leading in kills (60-42), assists (54-36), digs (64-54), and blocks (8-7). The Anteaters hit .257 as a team while holding the Lions to a .130 hitting percentage.
Junior outside hitter Madison Triplett led UC Irvine with 13 kills, marking her first back-to-back double-figure kill efforts of the season. Freshman middle blocker Taylor Boice contributed 11 kills on .400 hitting and a match-high six blocks, continuing her streak of 10-plus kills in six of the last seven games. Senior setter and outside hitter Nicole Feliciano recorded her third consecutive double-double with 22 assists and 11 kills, the 47th of her career.
Redshirt freshman setter and opposite Jessica Bates was one kill shy of a triple-double with a career-high 21 digs, a season-best 24 assists, and nine kills. Freshman middle blocker Vani Tatoulian added eight kills on .375 hitting and two blocks, while junior libero Whitney Wallace posted 18 digs, marking her seventh consecutive match with double-digit digs.
Head coach Ashlie Hain said the victory alleviates pressure on the young team and offers promise as the squad grows healthier. “I think we’re a lot better than our record right now, so this win alleviates some pressure from all of our young ones out there. As we get healthier, I think we’re going to keep getting better. There have just been a lot of challenges so it’s always great to see the girls be successful together,” Hain said.
The Anteaters will face UNLV on September 19, 2026, at 2 p.m. at The Pavilion to conclude their nonconference schedule.
CSB Take
This victory represents a significant confidence boost for the UC Irvine Anteaters women’s volleyball team during a challenging early season. Performances from experienced leaders like Nicole Feliciano, combined with strong efforts from younger players including Taylor Boice and Jessica Bates, indicate a team developing positive momentum. Maintaining health and building on this success will be crucial as they approach tougher conference competition and their upcoming match against UNLV. This win may serve as a key turning point in their season.
Source: Original report
