UCI whips USC in four

CRAWFORD HALL -- The second-ranked UC Irvine men’s volleyball team

rallied from a slow start and mowed down visiting USC in Mountain

Pacific Sports Federation play Wednesday night on the UCI campus,

21-30, 30-21, 30-25, 30-21 to improve to 13-2, 6-2 in the MPSF.

USC jumped to a 14-6 advantage in Game 3, but eventually the score

was tied at 22 and 24 before a Monte Tucker kill put the Anteaters in

control at 25-24.

Kills by Jimmy Pelzel and Russ Marchewka extended it to 27-24,

then Marchewka and Spencer Bemus blocked the next two USC hitters and

the outcome was evident.

Pelzel led all with 18 kills, three service aces and eight digs.

Tucker had 14 kills and hit .500 for the match. Marchewka added

nine kills, and Kyle Weichert, off the bench in Game 3, nailed four

kills in as many attempts.

USC fell to 9-7, 3-1.

The Anteaters host No. 3 Pepperdine Saturday at Crawford Hall,

beginning at 7. The Waves’ only loss of the season was a sweep by the

Anteaters.

USA TODAY/AVCA

COACHES’ TOP 15 POLL

1. Hawaii (8-2); 2. UC Irvine (12-2); 3. Pepperdine (9-1); 4. BYU

(7-1); 5. Lewis (7-2); 6. Long Beach State (7-5); 7. Stanford (6-6);

8. Cal State Northridge (8-4); 9. (tie) Penn State (5-3) and Pacific

(7-5); 11. Ball State (7-2); 12. UCLA (5-6); 13. IPFW (4-1); 14. UC

Santa Barbara (3-9); 15. Loyola-Chicago (5-2

Others receiving points and listed on two or more ballots: UC San

Diego.