UCI lines up notable foes

The UC Irvine women’s volleyball team will face eight nonconference

teams that reached the 2004 NCAA tournament after Anteater Coach

Charlie Brande announced the squad’s 2005 schedule.

The Anteaters will host San Diego to open the season against San

Diego, which reached the Sweet 16 last year, Aug. 26.

UCI then entertains Long Island University and Missouri-Kansas

City, before hosting UNLV, Santa Clara and Southern Mississippi in

the UC Irvine tournament, which begins Sept. 2.

The Anteaters, who made their second straight appearance last

season in the NCAA tournament, then travel to Colorado State and the

University of Florida on consecutive weekends in September for a pair

of tournaments.

The ‘Eaters open Big West Conference play on the road with matches

at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (Sept. 30) and UC Santa Barbara (Oct. 1)

before hosting Long Beach State in the home conference opener at 7

p.m. Oct. 6 in Crawford Court.

Loyola Marymount will visit UCI for the first time since 1998 on

Oct. 18 and the Anteaters have also scheduled the University of

Pittsburgh to conclude the regular season Nov. 26.

UCI finished 18-11, 11-17 in the Big West in 2004, and was among

five conference teams to reach the postseason.

The Anteaters return several experienced players, including Amanda

Vazquez, who received honorable mention in all-conference voting.

2005 schedule

Aug. 26 -- San Diego (home), 7 p.m.

Aug. 27 -- Long Island University (home), 7 p.m.

Sept. 1 -- Missouri-Kansas City (home), 7 p.m.

Sept. 2 -- {circ}UNLV (home), 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 3 -- {circ}Southern Mississippi (home), 2 p.m.;

{circ}Santa Clara (home), 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 9 -- +at Colorado State, 6 p.m.

Sept. 10 -- +vs. Oregon State, 9 a.m.;

+vs. Virginia Tech, 4 p.m.

Sept. 16 -- #vs. Eastern Michigan, 2 p.m.

Sept. 17 -- #TBA

Sept. 23 -- Saint Mary’s (home), 7 p.m.

Sept. 24 -- UC Davis (home), 7 p.m.

Sept. 30 -- *at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, 7 p.m.

Oct. 1 -- *at UC Santa Barbara, 7 p.m.

Oct. 6 -- *Long Beach State (home), 7 p.m.

Oct. 8 -- *at University of the Pacific, 7 p.m.

Oct. 14 -- *UC Riverside (home), 7 p.m.

Oct. 15 -- *Cal State Fullerton (home), 7 p.m.

Oct. 18 -- Loyola Marymount (home), 7 p.m.

Oct. 21 -- at UC Davis, 7 p.m.

Oct. 25 -- *at Cal State Northridge, 7 p.m.

Oct. 28 -- *UC Santa Barbara (home), 7 p.m.

Oct. 29 -- *Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (home), 7 p.m.

Nov. 5 -- *Long Beach State (home), 7 p.m.

Nov. 11 -- *at Cal State Fullerton, 7 p.m.

Nov. 12 -- *at UC Riverside, 7 p.m.

Nov. 18 -- *Cal State Northridge (home), 7 p.m.

Nov. 19 -- *University of the Pacific (home), 7 p.m.

Nov. 26 -- Pittsburgh (home), 7 p.m.

{circ}UC Irvine tournament (Santa Clara, Southern Mississippi,

UNLV, UCI)

+Colorado State tournament (UCI, Oregon State, Virginia Tech,

Colorado State)

#Florida Campus USA Classic (UCI, Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne,

Eastern Michigan, Florida)

*Big West Conference matches