Speraw gets win No. 100

MALIBU — UC Irvine men’s volleyball coach John Speraw, who is in his sixth season, recorded his 100th career win as the 10th-ranked Anteaters upset No. 2-ranked Pepperdine Wednesday.

The Anteaters handed the Waves their first loss of the season, 33-31, 30-21, 27-30, 30-27, in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation action at Firestone Fieldhouse. Speraw is 100-59.

UCI (4-5, 2-3 in conference) trailed, 17-12, in the first game, but fought back for the win. The Anteaters capitalized on a Pepperdine service error, as Aaron Harrell scored a game-tying kill to make it, 29-29. The lead went back and forth until the Waves made two attack errors. Cory Yoder’s game-winning block gave UC Irvine a one-game lead.

The Anteaters controlled much of Game 2, and Taylor Wilson led with five kills, followed by four from Yoder. UCI hit .375 for the game, while Pepperdine hit just .079.

The Waves (4-1, 4-1) tried to make a comeback in Game 3, taking a 5-1 lead en route to a 30-27 win. But the Anteaters won the fourth game, 30-27, after starting on a 6-2 run.

Wilson led all players with a career-high 24 kills. Kevin Carroll and Yoder both finished with 14 kills, and Harrell had 10. Carroll, a freshman, also recorded a career-high seven blocks.

Harrell walked away with seven blocks as well. Libero Brent Asuka had a season-high 15 digs and freshman setter Anthony Spittle put up a career-high 68 assists. Spittle also tied his career best nine digs.

Middle blocker Kevin Wynne added seven kills and six blocks.

Matt McKee led Pepperdine with 21 kills. J.D. Schleppenbach had 16 and Cory Ricks finished with 13. Setter Jonathan Winder had 53 assists, a team-high 10 digs and five blocks.

UCI will travel to USC to play against the Trojans Friday at 7 p.m. in the Galen Center.

— From staff reports