SALT LAKE CITY— The University of Denver women's volleyball team continued its winning efforts in the Utah Volleyball Classic on Saturday, taking its second of three games in the tournament by knocking off UC Irvine in five sets. Denver defeated UCI in with scores of 19-25, 25-19, 25-23, 20-25, and 15-11.

The Pioneers are 2-0 in their opening weekend of the 2018 season, beating Saint Mary's on Friday 3-1.

"That was a great win against a very talented team", said head coach Tom Hogan. "Although our game mirrored a 2 and a half hour roller coaster ride, I was proud of the way we fought at the end. We have a long way to go, but we are headed in the right direction.Tonight's match against Utah will teach us a lot, and we look forward to the opportunity to battle with one of the top teams in the country."

Pioneer Performers:
Sophomore Lydia Bartalo tied her career high of three service aces, set yesterday against Saint Mary's. Bartalo led the team with 12 kills, also a career high.

Junior Katarina Marinkovic was another big contributor for the Pioneers, posting a double-double with 10 kills and 10 digs. Markinkovic also tallied one block in the victory.

Other significant performances in the game came from senior Olivia Novotny (team-high 13 digs), senior Becca Latham (10 kills) and sophomore Ellie Anderson (22 assists).

Let's Talk Numbers:
As a team, Denver earned a total of 50 kills, 46 assists, 13 blocks, and eight service aces against UC Irvine. In the 2018 season, the Pioneers are now 2-0 in nine sets, and averaging 11.56 kills per set, 13 digs per set, and 2.44 blocks per set.

What's Next for the Crimson and Gold:
Saturday at 7 p.m. MT Denver will compete against No. 19 Utah for its final game of the Utah Volleyball Classic tournament. Next weekend, the Pioneers will begin their first of three home pre-conference tournaments on Friday, Aug. 31 against UC Santa Barbara.

Become a Season Ticket Holder:
Season tickets for the 2018 Denver volleyball season are on sale now and can be found by clicking HERE. Tickets for Denver's 17 home matches can be purchased for only $48.