BOX SCORE
NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- Jaime Gotham had nine kills and five blocks, but Western Michigan fell 25-21, 25-23, 25-19 to UC Irvine in the opening match of the Golden Dome Invitational at the Joyce Center.
The Broncos (7-2) also got nine kills and nine digs from Michelle Moore and 13 digs from Caitlin Strimel against the Anteaters (5-6).
Western Michigan couldn't find a way to slow down UC Irvine offensively as the Anteaters racked up 51 kills in three sets and hit .303. The Broncos, meanwhile, hit just .109 with 29 kills and 17 errors in 110 attacks. Part of that was due to seven total blocks and 55 digs from UCI.
The Broncos lost three of the first four points in the first set, but scored four of the next five to take their first lead, 5-4, on an Allyson Doyle kill. Two straight kills by Irvine gave them the advantage and WMU was unable to take back the lead. The Broncos tied it four more times, but UC Irvine broke a nine-all deadlock with back-to-back kills to build a small cushion. The Anteaters clung to its slim lead until an attack error evened the score at 18, but the Broncos couldn't capitalize as UCI scored two points in a row and went on to take set one, 25-21.
WMU hit .128 with 11 kills and six errors, including three blocks by the Anteaters, while they finished set one with a strong .410 attack percentage on 18 kills and only two errors in 39 attacks.
A Gotham kill opened the second set and Mitchell added a service ace moments later as the Broncos held the early two-point advantage. The Broncos continued to play well and a Strimel ace opened up a four-point edge, 11-7, for the Brown & Gold. Irvine stormed back and knotted the score at 14, but Gotham regained the advantage for WMU one more time as part of a 4-1 run that put the Broncos up three, 18-15. The Anteaters came back again, but the Broncos managed to hold them off and took a late two-point lead, 23-21, after a block by Moore and Gotham, followed by a solo block from Gotham.
The Broncos wouldn't score again, however, as UC Irvine finished the second set with four consecutive kills to take it 25-23.
UC Irvine again couldn't be slowed down offensively as they posted 18 kills for the second-straight set. The Broncos again managed only 11, but did cut down on the errors to hit .226 and picked up three total blocks.
The third set was tight again in the early going before a 3-0 run by the Anteaters broke a 12-all time. Doyle had a pair of kills to try and cut into the deficit, but UC Irvine continued to play well and built a 20-15 lead. Another block by Moore and Gotham cut the lead to three, 20-17, but WMU could never get any closer as the Anteaters closed it out with their 51st kill to win 25-19.
Lauren Kellerman led UC Irvine with 16 kills and added eight digs, while Kari Pestolesi had a double-double with 12 kills and 15 digs.
The Broncos return to action on Saturday at 5 p.m. against defending Big South champion Liberty (8-2) and then play the host Fighting Irish at 2 p.m. Sunday.
