Box Score Story by Giselle Lewis
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022)— The UC Santa Barbara women's volleyball team (13-8, 9-2) took down UC Irvine (13-8, 6-5) at the Thunderdome Thursday night, despite relentless comeback attempts from the Anteaters. The Gauchos earned their seventh sweep of the season in straight sets 25-19, 25-11, 25-20.
On the Stat Sheet
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Briana McKnight ended the match with 14 kills to her name, the highest number across the board as the only player in double figures. She swung a potent .417 clip to do so and added eight digs anf two blocks as well.
- Freshman Kimi Waller was electric in her first collegiate start sending down a career-high seven kills on a .375 hitting percentage to go with a pair of blocks and three assists.
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Mehana Ma'a posted 21 assists throughout the game which led all players, rounded out by nine digs towards the Gaucho effort.
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Libero Macall Peed's heroic dives earned her 15 digs, complimented by 2 assists
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The Gauchos outhit UCI .252 to .039 and collected 10 blocks to te Anteaters' five.
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Michelle Ohwobete narrowly missed a double-double tallying nine kills and digs on the night.
- Nia Correal was a force at the net with six total blocks and two solos while Deni Wilson chipped in for four.
How It Happened
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The Gauchos and the Anteaters vied for dominance, but UCSB was able to take the l lead after an 8-1 run brought the score to a comfortable 6-15 in favor of the Gauchos. But with the end of 1 in sight, the Anteaters fought back, swinging a 7-1 run that brought the score to a much tighter 19-23. UCI's hopes were ultimately dashed after Briana McKnight ended the set with a big block and a fast kill for the Gauchos.
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The second set also saw an early battle for an edge, however, Irvine found less success at the net. Hitting their stride mid-set, UCSB maintained a solid lead. Despite a time-out called at 18-9 for the Anteaters, UCI was unable to repeat its almost-comeback, as set 2 ended 11-25 at the buzzer for UCSB.
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With their last shot on the line, the Anteaters hit the court with a force to challenge the Gauchos, taking the first point of the set after a battle of a rally. The Anteaters hung close, as the set continued, refusing to go down quietly. The scoreboard read 11-21 for the Gauchos, and victory seemed near, but once again the Anteaters refused to back down. After a timeout, UCI hit back at UCSB with an impressive pair of runs. The visiting team's efforts were just short however, as the Gauchos secured their third set in a 25-20 victory.
Next up
The Gauchos will face down UC San Diego at the Thunderdome on Sunday afternoon at 4pm.
