While UCSB (14-9, 5-5) had an impressive showing at home last weekend, the bitter taste of losing a 2-0 lead to Long Beach State, the Big West's top team, lingered as they head on the road on Friday to face a talented Cal Poly (13-8, 6-4) team. This time, the Gauchos would find a way to finish their opponents off, going on a clutch 6-0 run to end the third set and defeat the Mustangs in straight sets.

Lindsey Ruddins was once again UCSB's leader on the stat sheet, picking up a double-double with 10 kills and 10 digs.

The 3-0 victory comes just 20 days after the Mustangs defeated the Gauchos by the same score in Santa Barbara.

Fresh off their solid performance last weekend, the Gauchos looked ready to play from the opening point, taking an 8-1 lead out of the gates. Cal Poly struggled to get back into the first set, only managing to cut the lead to as low as five after an attacking error from Chanel Hoffman made it 18-13. 

Leading 22-17, the Gauchos finished the set strong, first increasing their lead to six off a rare kill by setter Hannah Juley. Elizabeth Sheffield followed that up with a kill of her own, and Ruddins finished things off to give UCSB a 25-17 opening set win.

The rest of the match proved to be much more tightly contested, as the Mustangs kept it close until midway through the second set. Neither team was able to take more than a two-point lead until, already leading 14-12, UCSB utilized a 7-3 run that was capped off by a pair of Cal Poly errors to take a commanding 21-15 lead.

Desperate to tie the match at one set apiece, the Mustangs made it interesting by going on an 8-2 run of their own to tie it up at 23-23. The Gauchos were then able to set themselves up with set point after a block from Elizabeth Sheffield and Chanel Hoffman, before Phoebe Grunt chipped in with a kill to give UCSB a 25-23 win and a 2-0 lead for the third straight match.

After falling 11-6 midway through the third set, the Gauchos found themselves in a familiar position, having gone 0-2 in third sets last week after holding a 2-0 lead. UCSB slowly chipped away at the lead, finally pulling to within two at 21-19 after a Cal Poly attacking error.

The Mustangs answered back with a 3-1 run of their own, capped off by a kill from Raeann Griesen, to make it 24-20. Needing just one more point to stay alive and force an extra set, Cal Poly just couldn't find a way to close UCSB out.

A pair of Gaucho kills made it 24-22 before Juley stepped up to put away back-to-back clutch aces and tie the game at 24-24. After another Mustang attacking error gave UCSB their first match point of the night, Megan Rice put the match to bed with a kill to give the Gauchos a 26-24 win and make them a perfect 3-0 on the night.

It was a relatively inefficient night for both teams on the offensive side, as UCSB finished with a .198 hitting percentage compared to .103 for the home side. The Gauchos also enjoyed an overwhelming advantage in the serving game, tallying seven aces, while Cal Poly finished with none.

Juley was the second Gaucho to record a double-double on the night, finishing with 31 assists and 11 digs.

Sheffield finished with a match-high eight blocks.

On the Cal Poly side, Greisen recorded a match-best 15 kills.

UCSB will be on the road once again next week with matches at UC Davis and UC Irvine.