NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – Though UCSB (6-14, 2-7) took the first sets 25-8 and 25-19, CSUN (5-15, 4-4) was able to pull off a comeback and defend their home floor in a 3-2 decision on Saturday night.

Although the Gauchos came up short in the match, their roster sported many of the statistical leaders. Ali Barbeau topped both teams with 14 kills, while Phoebe Grunt also reached double digits with 10 kills.

Behind standout service performances from Jaylen Villanueva and Annie Hasselmann, the Gauchos set a season high with 12 aces, which is also the most in a single match during the Lantagne Welch era. Villanueva and Hasselmann both reached career bests with six and four aces, respectively.

UCSB also outblocked CSUN 16-3, as Phoebe Grunt and Elizabeth Sheffield led the way with a combined two solo blocks and 13 block assists. Also busy on the defensive side of the floor was Emilia Petrachi who led all players with 21 digs.

The Gauchos dominated the first two games with the offense registering a combined .488 hitting percentage and 23 kills.

UCSB's 25-8 trouncing of CSUN in the first game featured a clean Gaucho attack that produced 10 kills and zero errors. The Gauchos opened the match on a 12-3 run, as Villanueva picked up two of her aces in her first stint serving the ball. UCSB came up with five kills in grabbing the commanding nine-point lead, while CSUN committed four attacking errors. Overall, UCSB was on fire with a .667 hitting percentage, while limiting the Matadors to an anemic -.182 clip.

The Gauchos cruised to the first set win off a 10-3 run, which featured another pair of Villanueva aces. After Sheffield came up with back-to-back blocks to put UCSB at set point, Barbeau finished the job with her fifth kill of the game.

In the second, UCSB maintained its offense with a .393 hitting percentage, while the Matadors still struggled with their .088 mark.

CSUN got off to a fast start in the second game with three straight points from a pair of kills and an ace. Devin Joos broke streak and put the Gauchos on the board with a kill, which triggered a 7-3 UCSB run. From there, the game remained close until the Gauchos went off with three straight kills, including two consecutive from Grunt, to gain a 14-11 edge. CSUN was unable to cut into the lead more than that, as errors plagued them the rest of the way to the 25-19 final score.

UCSB started the third game strong in going ahead 8-1. The Gauchos had five kills in the opening points, while Sheffield and Joos also combined for a block. However, after calling a timeout, the Matadors came back to tie the score at 11-11. The Gauchos reclaimed the lead at 14-13 following a block from Grunt and Villanueva, but CSUN came back with a 3-0 and never looked back.

CSUN used another mid-game comeback to win the fourth game 25-23 and carried that momentum onto the start of the fifth set.

The Matadors opened the decisive set 6-1, but UCSB would rally cut the deficit down to one at 10-9. Barbeau led the charge with three kills and an ace during the stretch, while Sheffield and Taylor added kills of their own.

CSUN, though, was able to hold on and clinch the game at 15-10.

UCSB will be back in action on Thursday when  they will host Cal Poly at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at the Ticketing Office in the ICA Building, over the phone at 805.893.UCSB (8272), or online.