‘Eaters at home against rival 49ers tonight at 7

Athletic contests between UC Irvine and Long Beach State are billed as the Black and Blue rivalry, with a trophy awarded each year to the overall series winner in all sports.

But when it comes to women’s volleyball, the black and blue reference is more accurately applied to the collective lumps the Anteaters have taken over the years at the hands of their Big West Conference neighbors.

Long Beach State holds a 56-6 series advantage over UCI, a .903 winning percentage. The Beach has won six straight since UCI was victorious at home in 2004.

UCI (8-10, 3-2 in the Big West) will try to alter that trend when it plays host to the No. 24-ranked 49ers (14-3, 4-1), tonight at 7 at Crawford Court.

It’s the start of a crucial two-match week for Coach Charlie Brande’s ’Eaters, who are in a three-way tie for fourth in the conference, behind Pacific (5-1), Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (4-1) and the 49ers.

UCI visits Cal Poly Saturday at 7 p.m.

UCI is led by junior setter Taryn Robertson and sophomore outside hitter Kari Pestolesi, whose brother Tommy is a junior on the Long Beach State men’s team.

Robertson leads the Big West and ranks No. 22 nationally in assists per set (11.05).

Pestolesi, the 2007 Big West Freshman of the Year, is averaging 3.67 kills per set. She also tops the team with 17 aces and her 180 digs are second only to senior libero Devon Sutherland, who leads the conference with 4.1 digs per set.

Brande, in his ninth season, announced Monday he will resign at the end of the season.

Long Beach, on a four-match winning streak, is paced by 6-foot-2 freshman Caitlin Ledoux, who was named Big West Player of the Week after pounding 52 kills in three conference wins, including a career-high 22 Saturday against UC Santa Barbara.

— Barry Faulkner