UCI falls to No. 1 BYU in 5

IRVINE — The scoreboard failed to adequately show what the UC Irvine men’s volleyball team might have gained from Friday night’s Mountain Pacific Sports Federation home match against No. 1-ranked BYU.

But Anteaters Coach John Speraw knows.

Many of the downtrodden UCI players who quietly walked to their locker room after the thrilling 30-28, 32-34, 30-22, 28-30, 28-26 setback may also know.

What the 1,995 who witnessed it at the Bren Events Center, now know is that the “rebuilding process” that followed after UCI lost four senior All-Americans from last year’s national championship team is all but complete.

“To play the No. 1 team in America and go 28-26 in the fifth game is good,” said Speraw, whose No. 6-ranked ’Eaters fell to 8-7, 5-5 in the MPSF, while BYU improved to 10-0, 5-0. “I don’t know if [28-26, to decide the fifth game that is typically won at 15 points, though extended until one team wins by two] has ever happened. And, it probably simulates a playoff match experience better than anything we’ll have between now and the playoffs. To simulate that kind of experience is so wonderful or us. The only way to experience those moments that have that kind of pressure are to live them. I think, down the road, it could really benefit us. I hope it’s today.”

The two teams play again tonight at 7 at the Bren Events Center, though Speraw believes things might be different on several fronts.

“The hard part is, we didn’t play well and they didn’t play well,” Speraw said. “[Today], some team is going to come back here and play better. I hope we just keep our head up and don’t get disappointed or discouraged about what happened here tonight, because that could happen.”

What happened Friday was as difficult to describe and summarize as it might be to replay in the minds of UCI players and coaches. But the theme of the evening for the underdog hosts was an unwillingness to give up.

Both teams led in every game and the first two games were tied many times. Game 1 was tied for the final time at 27 and Game two featured a 32-32 deadlock.

BYU, which had dropped three of its previous four meetings to the Anteaters, dominated Game 3, then seized leads of 15-11 and 28-25 in Game 4, before UCI turned the tide.

A kill by junior opposite Jon Steller pulled UCI into a 28-28 deadlock in Game 4 and sophomore Cole Reinholm’s ensuing kill set up match point, which UCI quickly converted to force the fifth and deciding game.

After a stuff block by freshman Kevin Wynne knotted the final game at 3-3, the Cougars scored three straight points and had an 8-5 lead at the side change.

BYU led, 9-6, when UCI turned it on again, also turning on the Anteater rooters, which were matched, if not surpassed by BYU fans.

Back-to-back kills by UCI freshman Kevin Carroll pulled the hosts even at 10-10 and a Stellar kill put the Anteaters on top, 11-10.

But BYU, the MPSF leader in hitting percentage coming in (.328), which received a match-high 26 kills from 6-foot-4 senior Ivan Perez, as well as double-figure kill totals from three others, forged ahead, 14-11.

UCI then staved off seven match points, the first of which pulled them even, 14-14, on a lift violation called on the Cougars, before BYU finally put the match to bed.

UCI, led by Steller’s 19 kills, as well as 15 by Carroll, 13 by Wynne and 11 by Reinholm, had six match points of its own, the last coming at 26-25, but a passing miscue allowed BYU to pull even.

Perez finished the next two points with kills, the match-winner bounding off two UCI blockers out of bounds on the BYU side, to keep the Cougars unbeaten.

Wynne hit .426 and was on in five blocks to pace the Anteaters, for whom Carroll hit .321 and collected nine digs, topped only by junior libero Brent Asuka (15) among the hosts.

Redshirt freshman Anthony Spittle came off the bench to record 28 assists in relief of senior setter Ryan Ammerman, who had 40.

“We just keep running freshmen out there to see who will stick,” Speraw said.

Senior middle blocker Aaron Harrell also contributed more than his stats, which included seven kills, seven digs and three block assists.

Steller and Reinholm had two aces apiece, as UCI produced seven aces with 20 service errors.

BYU misfired on 28 serves, and had five saves, but hit .280 to the Anteaters’ .203.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at barry.faulkner@latimes.com.