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.