UCI clinches second

IRVINE — The UC Irvine women’s volleyball team made its case Saturday night. Now, it needs the NCAA selection committee to make its season.

The Anteaters rallied to sweep visiting Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, 20-25, 25-16, 26-24, 28-26, at Crawford Court to clinch sole possession of second place in the Big West Conference and, hopefully, convince the powers that be that they are worthy of the program’s first NCAA bid since 2004.

UCI (16-12, 12-4 in the Big West) has history, and perhaps, sentimentality on its side.

Ever since the Big West initiated women’s volleyball in 1984, at least two teams from the conference have earned NCAA berths. Conference champion Long Beach State is in automatically. And UCI may have to now battle Cal Poly (16-11, 11-5), which has two matches at Hawaii remaining, around the conference table to earn the second of what most believe will be just two berths for Big West programs this season.

And, since Coach Charlie Brande, a popular figure in the volleyball community for more than three decades, announced earlier this month that this will be the last of his nine seasons at the UCI helm, there may be some who would push to see him have one final postseason hurrah.

But several Anteaters, as well as Brande, believe there need be nothing beyond logic and common sense for UCI to have its season extended.

“The way we’re playing right now, there’s no doubt in my mind that we are [NCAA Tournament worthy],” said UCI sophomore Kari Pestolesi, who led the winners with 18 kills and 19 digs.

On a night when seniors Lauren Kellerman, Devon Sutherland and Shannan Homan were celebrated before what is almost certainly their final home match, it was juniors who paced the Anteaters.

Along with Pestolesi, junior Alexandra Filkins contributed 16 kills and 18 digs, both career highs. And, junior setter Taryn Robertson amassed 58 assists, one shy of her season high, to go with nine kills, many of the latter on jousts at the net.

“I guess we’ll see how it all plays out, but the last 10 matches, we’ve really proved we can hang with the best.”

UCI won its last three matches, eight of its last nine and 10 of its last 12.

Brande said but for a five-game loss at Long Beach State Nov. 12, there would be no question about the ’Eaters’ postseason credentials.

“That Cal Poly team has been nationally ranked all year,” Brande said. “And Long Beach [which UCI defeated in four games at home on Oct. 16, when the 49ers were ranked No. 24] was nationally ranked.

“I really believe politics higher than the committee are the ones that are going to have to take care of it. If they do the job that they should do, we should be in [the tournament].”

Said Filkins, “Don’t take us for granted. We’re coming.”

UCI used defense, cagey hitting and desire to get going after a first-set setback Saturday.

“We knew it was now or never,” Pestolesi said. “This is the year we have everyone we should be able to [make the tournament] with, and we figured, ‘Why not?’ ”

Robertson said pressure was actually an ally.

“We’re playing at home and it’s our senior night,” Robertson said. “I think we used that to fire us up, instead of looking at it as that we were the underdogs or we had the pressure.”

The Anteaters also relied on some depth.

Sophomore Larissa Nordyke added three kills, two digs, some solid passing and some undeniable energy.

Junior Chelsea Ellis had two kills in three attempts to bolster the bench brigade, which included junior McCall Miller’s short-serve winner that descended almost impossibly close to the Mustangs’ side of the net.

“Our bench was huge tonight,” Robertson said. “Even if it was just bringing some fire. Even if it was just one play, we needed it at that moment. And they really stepped it up.”

After controlling play in the second set, UCI stepped up after the visitors rallied to tie it at 23 in the third game.

An Ellis kill, a Filkins dump and a net violation on game point helped the ’Eaters close out the game and maintain momentum.

Cal Poly had the momentum for much of the fourth game and led, 22-19, before Pestolesi and Kellerman (10 kills) helped UCI gnaw away at the lead.

A Kellerman kill pulled the Anteaters even, 26-26, and Filkins put away a Robertson set to create match point.

Filkins then busted one through two blockers to ignite a thunderous roar from the 467 in attendance and a jubilant celebration among the players.

Now, the Anteaters have to wait until pairings are announced Nov. 30, to see if it that celebration was only a momentary happy ending.

“We can’t sweat it out,” Robertson said. “We have to let the cards fall as they may. We did the best we could these last few matches.

“I wish we had started [the season] a little stronger, but there’s nothing we can do about it now.”

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