Season looms for Anteaters

Coach Charlie Brande’s UC Irvine women’s volleyball team opens its

2005 schedule hosting No. 18 San Diego at Crawford Court Aug. 26 at 7

p.m.

The Anteaters host a pair of matches at Crawford Court Aug. 27,

facing Hofstra at 1 p.m. and Long Island University at 7 p.m.

The Anteaters were 18-11 overall last season and 11-7 in Big West Conference action, finishing in a fourth-place tie and earning their

second consecutive NCAA tournament berth.

UC Irvine is led by 2004 All-Big West Conference honorable mention

Amanda Vazquez, who was named to two all-tournament teams during the

2004 regular season (UC Irvine Nike/Holiday Inn Sunset Classic,

Waikiki Beach Marriott Invitational).

UCI also returns outside hitter Trisha White, who totaled 217

kills, 24 service aces and 186 digs last season and libero Keegan

Featherstone, who led the defense with 438 digs.

Alumni game set for Sunday

* SOCCER: The UC Irvine women’s soccer team, which plays its

alumni game on Sunday at Anteater Stadium at 1 p.m., opens the 2005

regular season against San Jose State Aug. 26 at Spartan Stadium in

San Jose at 7:30 p.m. Coach Marine Cano’s squad then continues the

road trip at Saint Mary’s in Moraga Aug. 28 at noon.

Junior Britney Webster leads the veterans after earning All-Big

West Conference honorable mention recognition last season when she

led UCI in scoring with three goals and seven assists. Junior Lauryn

Birkinshaw also returns after notching three goals and an assist in

2004.

The Anteaters were 4-14-2 overall last year.

Pelzel leads USA

* VOLLEYBALL: UC Irvine All-American Jimmy Pelzel led the USA

men’s volleyball team, but it was not enough as the Americans fell to

Russia, 25-20, 29-27, 19-25, 25-20, in the second match of

consolation play at the Summer World University Games in Izmir,

Turkey.

Pelzel, the USA team captain, led the Americans with 18 points on

14 kills, three blocks and one service ace.

USA (3-4) concludes the World University Games today with a

rematch against Belgium. Belgium defeated USA, 3-2, in pool play and

fell to Canada, 3-2, in the second round of consolation play.

On Wednesday, the U.S. recorded a 25-22, 26-24, 25-23 victory over

Korea in the first round of consolation play as Pelzel capped the

U.S. comeback in Game 2 with a set-clinching kill. He ended the match

with seven kills.