IRVINE, CA - The Eagles would head down the street to play No. 3, UC Irvine in the NCAA. Concordia would take the Anteaters to close sets, ultimately losing in a close four set battle. 

In the first set, the Eagles would come out strong, keeping a consistent three point deficit. Concordia would take their first timeout at 6-11. A couple kills from Noah Lassandro and Jordan Hoppe would keep them within a few points. Concordia and UC Irvine would continue to battle after each point, with the Anteaters coming up on top in the first set with a score 21-25. 

The second set was a different story for the Eagles as they finished with the win. Again the score would continue to go back and forth until Luke Krzmarzick would go on a four point service run, forcing the Anteaters to take their first timeout 14-12. The Eagles would continue their run for a couple more points with a triple block by Jonathan Carlson, Hunter Howell, and Chandler Gibb following a hitting error by the Anteaters. UC Irvine would not give up, forcing Concordia to stay on their on their toes and putting the pressure on them. The Eagles never let up and a kill from Carlson and Hoppe would bring them that much closer. Krzmarzick would get an ace to make that game point, with the Anteaters making a service error to have the Eagles win 25-23. 

Another close set would come from both the Eagles and the Anteaters as the score would alternate throughout the whole set. Just when UC Irvine would go on a few point run, Concordia would retaliate and come back either in the lead or within one point. Concordia would take a timeout when UC Irvine when on a three point run with a couple kills and an ace at 17-20, making that the biggest lead of the set for UC Irvine. The Eagles came back from the timeout with two kills from Hoppe. A kill from Carlson would snap their run, having Isaiah Kaaa at the service line, getting a couple points from Krzmarzick and attacking error from the Anteaters to bring them within one. Concordia would fall in that set 23-25. 

The Anteaters came out strong in the fourth set, starting off with a service run from Aaron Koubi giving them a three point lead, followed by a service error. Although the Eagles would continue to be down just by a couple points, Krzmarzick would go to the back line and go on a run with an ace, a hitting error, and a kill from Howell to give them a one point lead. A couple attacking errors from Concordia would force them to take a timeout at 10-13. Just as the Anteaters thought they took a comfortable lead at 13-20, Krzmarzick would be back at the service line again, earning a couple more aces and an attacking error would get the Eagles within just a few points. As UC Irvine just needed one more point, Bailey Mundy came in to serve a couple points, but ultimately falling just short 22-25. 

Jordan Hoppe led the Eagles with 19 kills, while Luke Krzmarzick had 15 kills and five aces. Jonathan Carlson had seven kills, three blocks, and six digs. Chandler Gibb recorded a season-high 42 assists and 12 digs against UC Irvine. Addison Enriques followed right behind Gibb with nine digs. 

The next match will be against UC Santa Cruz on Thursday, January 31 at 7:00PM in the CU Arena.