System in place for UCI

IRVINE — The system is clearly in place for the UC Irvine women’s volleyball team, which completed a winning weekend to solidify its place atop the Big West Conference standings by sweeping visiting UC Riverside Saturday.

But it’s what is happening when the system sporadically breaks down that has allowed the Anteaters, under first-year coach Paula Weishoff, to climb into position to claim the program’s first conference crown.

“I think in system [when an accurate pass is close enough to the setter to allow for a complete array of offensive options], we’re really, really good,” Weishoff said after a somewhat systematic 25-13, 27-25, 25-20 triumph upped the No. 21-ranked Anteaters’ record to 16-3, 6-1 in conference. “But we’ve got to keep working on [playing] out of system, to convert the junk balls into scores. I think our defense is getting a lot better.”

Senior setter Taryn Robertson, who had 38 assists, also said that having the ability to succeed when a bad pass or deflected ball forces a scramble situation, is the biggest difference from last year, when UCI finished second in the Big West.

“We’re working a lot on playing out of system,” Robertson said. “We’re more organized on those plays this year.”

And while there was clearly no initial letdown after Friday’s five-game home win over visiting Long Beach State in a battle for first place, the lowly Highlanders (2-16, 0-7) responded in the second set to provide a little adversity for the hosts, who are now 7-0 at home this season.

After cruising in Game 1, UCI faced deficits of 4-0, 7-2, and 12-7 early in the second set. The ’Eaters pulled even at 23-23, but were behind, 24-23 and 25-24, before a missed serve by the Highlanders, a dump by Robertson, and a Riverside hitting error helped UCI prevail.

Irvine faltered slightly in the third game, as the Highlanders pared a 10-4 deficit to 12-11, before UCI pulled away to close out the match.

The five-match conference winning streak is a record for UCI, which gets a chance to avenge its only conference setback this season, a five-game loss at UC Santa Barbara in which they won the first two sets, when the Gauchos visit Crawford Court Friday at 7 p.m.

The Anteaters, aiming for their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2004, will also have to adjust to being the conference front-runner.