SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – After three sets finished at 25-23, UCSB (6-17, 2-10) came up short in a contentious battle with UC Irvine (12-13, 6-7) in the Thunderdome on Saturday night.

Jaylen Villanueva led UCSB in kills for the second night in a row with 11 and also dealt four service aces. Devin Joos was right behind her with nine kills, while she was also a four at the net with a match-high five blocks. Overall, UCSB won the block's category 12 to three. 

Villanueva completed a double-double with 10 digs, while Elizabeth Sheffield finished with a career-high 10 digs. Emilia Petrachi led UCSB in the dig category with 14.

Outside of the lopsided 25-13 score in the opening set, the Gauchos engaged the Anteaters in a tight matchup. 

UCSB shrugged off their early first game loss and opened the second on a 9-5 run. Villanueva led the charge in picking up two kills and a block through the team's first four points. The Gauchos held on to their lead until Irvine registered five consecutive points to pull ahead 14-12.

Fittingly, Villanueva regained the serve for UCSB with a kill and she proceeded to dominate at the service line with four straight aces. A service error ended her run, but by then she gave UCSB an 18-15 edge.

Irvine rallied back and tied the game at 23-23, but the Gauchos were able to hold on and win with consecutive Anteater errors to close the set.

The third set continued with the aggressive play after the break, as neither team had more than a three-point lead. UC Irvine led early on, but the Gauchos made a move with a 4-1 run to take a 9-7 advantage. Sheffield led UCSB with a kill and an ace during that stretch, while Britton Taylor added a block assist and a kill as well. The Anteaters, though, were able to recapture their lead at 11-10 following two Gaucho service aces and back-to-back kills from Marisa Bubica.

Despite UCSB tying the set three times down the stretch, Irvine never let go of its lead and took the 25-23 decision.

Early in the fourth game, the Gauchos rode a 5-0 run to grab a 10-6 lead. Joos triggered the run with a kill, while Annie Hasselmann added an ace and Villanueva put away a kill. Two bad sets from Irvine put UCSB into double digits, which prompted the Anteaters to use their first timeout.

While Irvine was able to take the lead at 18-17, the Gauchos got it right back with four unanswered points that included an ace from Shauna Klein and kills from Phoebe Grunt and Villanueva.

In trailing by three points, UC Irvine tied the game at 22-22 and carried that momentum for the win. 

UCSB will continue its season next weekend on the road at Cal State Fullerton and UC Riverside. Their match with the Titans will be featured on ESPN3, which will mark the Gauchos' second appearance on the network.