‘Eaters survive

With every kill, every block, every point, Kristin Kelley feels like

she has something to prove.

For the most part, it’s a win-win situation. Sometimes, however,

it can get the best of her.

A newcomer to the UC Irvine women’s volleyball team this season,

Kelley, a sophomore transfer from Washington State, is gracing the

Anteaters’ campus with the hopes of making up what she lost in one

year as a Cougar.

Her freshman year in Pullman, Wash., last season resulted in

abnormally-low numbers -- 1.59 kills per game, .59 blocks per game --

not the sort of statistics the former La Salle High (Pasadena) star

was used to.

Kelley, a 6-foot-2 outside hitter, transferred to UCI to have more

of a role on the team, something first-year Cougar Coach Brian

Heffernan wasn’t providing for her, she said.

“When [Heffernan] came in, basically no one was happy,” she said.

“It was no fun up there, so I wanted to come back home and play where

it’s fun, live at the beach, see my family more and be around people

that I wanted to be around.”

The Anteaters are currently benefiting from the newcomer’s drive

to prove herself in the collegiate volleyball world

Kelley posted a match-leading and collegiate career-high 21 kills

to help UCI withstand nonconference visitor Hofstra in a five-game,

2-hour, 45-minute gruel-a-thon Saturday afternoon in a steamy

Crawford Court.

“Kristen has the potential to be quite a factor out here,” UCI

sixth-year coach Charlie Brande said following the ‘Eaters’ 30-27,

30-25, 29-31, 30-32, 15-11 victory. “She needs to be more explosive

and utilize her body, but once she gets to the point where she can

attack consistently, she’s going to be a great athlete.”

Kelley was recruited by Washington State following a high school

career in which she was a two-time first-team All-CIF and

All-Sunshine League player. Her senior year, she led La Salle to the

CIF Southern Section semifinals and was named league Most Valuable

Player.

But Washington State, far from family and friends, just didn’t fit

the bill for the newcomer. This year, she reunites at UCI with her

older brother Mark Kelley, who will be a forward on the Anteaters’

basketball team.

“I want to make an impact,” Kristin Kelley said. “I don’t want to

sit on the bench. I want to be out there playing. I transferred not

because I wanted to leave the Pac-10. I wanted to come down here and

show them that I can play and do my best and help the team out.”

Kelley played with the utmost authority during the first three

games in the sauna-like conditions in Saturday’s match. She combined

for a match-leading 10 kills in the first two games -- both UCI wins

-- and she exploded for 10 kills alone in Game 3 in a losing effort.

Teamed with senior middle blocker Amanda Vazquez (20 kills),

junior outside hitter Trisha White (16), and senior middle blocker

Whitney Pavlik (15), Kelley and the Anteaters earned their first

victory of the season, improving to 1-1 following a three-game loss

to the University of San Diego Friday. Hofstra fell to 0-1.

UCI went on to defeat Long Island University Saturday evening in

another five-game marathon. Vazquez recorded a match-high 22 kills.

With the abundance of youth, including Kelley, combined with the

experience of three starting seniors -- Vazquez, Pavlik and Jennifer

Moser -- Brande said he is looking forward to this season.

The Anteaters reached the NCAA tournament last year for the second

straight season.