PROVO, Utah -- The Lewis University men's volleyball team opened their 2023 season on the road Friday as the Flyers dropped their first match to No. 8 University of California Irvine in four sets at Smith Fieldhouse on the campus of Brigham Young University.

TEAM RECORDS
No. 8 UC-Irvine (1-0) | No. 14 Lewis (0-1)

LEWIS LEADERS
Kills: Max Roquet (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) (17), John Davis (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central) (13), Michael Sack (Oak Lawn, Ill./St. Laurence) (11), Christian Prayer (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway North) (11)
Digs: Max Roquet (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) (8)
Assists: Tyler Morgan (Dike, Iowa/New Hartford) (51)
Blocks: Antonio Rodriguez-Elias (Naranjito, Puerto Rico/Colegio Sagrada Familia) (3)
Aces: Prayer (2)

SET BREAKDOWN
FIRST SET: Lewis 28, UC-Irvine 26

• Lewis jumped out to an early 3-1 lead after a kill by Antonio Elias-Rodriguez then UCI responded three straight to grab the lead.
• Midway through the first set, the Anteaters led 15-14 before the Flyers rallied for four straight points largely in part with John Davis's (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central) three kills and a kill by Max Roquet (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) which made it 18-15. 
• UCI responded by scoring the next four out of five points which tied the opening set at 19-all. 
• Both teams went back-and-forth for seven points each which made it 26-26 late in the first set. 
• Lewis captured the first set 28-26 after a block from Roquet and Elias-Rodriguez and a kill by Roquet. 

SECOND SET: UC-Irvine 28, Lewis 26

• Both teams each traded points back-and-forth to start the second set after scoring 13 points each. 
• Lewis had their first rally of the second set after the Flyers recorded three straight points capped off by a service ace by Prayer. 
• The Flyers led 17-14 before the Anteaters scored three straight to tie it up at 17-all. 
• It went back-and-forth again until 26-26 until this time UCI score back-to-back points to win the second set.

THIRD SET: UC-Irvine 25, Lewis 22

• It was another back-and-forth set in the third with both teams trading points before the Anteaters went up 10-7.
• Lewis was able to answer back and take a 15-14 after an ace by Davis. 
• Davis recorded a kill and Prayer picked up a service ace to go ahead 22-20.
• UCI scored five points in a row to win the third set 25-22 to go up 2-1 in the match. 

FOURTH SET: UC-Irvine 25, Lewis 23

• The Anteaters led early in the fourth set and had a lead for most of the set.
• Lewis was able to tie the fourth set after kills by Roquet and Cole Brillhart (York, Pa./Northeastern) and making it 16-16.
• UCI would then score three straight points to go up 19-16. 
• Prayer tried to get the Flyers got back in the match after recording a kill which made it 21-20 Anteaters but that was the closest Lewis got. 

Final Score: UC-Irvine 3, Lewis 1

UP NEXT

• Lewis has a quick turnaround as the Flyers return to action Saturday, January 7 as they take on host BYU starting at 8 p.m. CT.