Box Score SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Despite missing two key starters on Friday night against No. 2 Pepperdine, the No. 11 UC Santa Barbara men's volleyball team controlled the match throughout, defeating the Waves for the second time in two weeks, 26-24, 25-19, 23-25, 25-15.
KEY POINTS
- After a slow start to the season, the Gauchos (5-3) have turned it on of late. UCSB is now 4-0 against ranked opponents, with all four matches coming against top-9 teams.
- For the third straight match, reigning Big West Offensive Player of the week Ryan Wilcox led the Gauchos in kills (15). He also finished with seven digs and six blocks.
- Santa Barbara was without standouts opposite Haotian Xia and setter Patrick Paragas, both of whom appeared in every match prior to Friday. Sophomores Nick Amoruso and Conor Dunn started in their place and did not disappoint. Amoruso tallied 12 kills and led all players with seven blocks and 19 total points. Dunn, who had four career blocks and no assists entering his 20th career match, registered 37 assists and four blocks.
HOW IT HAPPENED
1st Set (26-24 UCSB)
- The first set has been the Gauchos bread-and-butter this season. The only time they have dropped the opening game was on the Waves' (4-2) home floor by a score of 26-24.
- This time, they flipped the script. UCSB came out hot as a Dayne Chalmers kill started a 5-1 run to put the home side up 8-3.
- The Gaucho lead grew to as large as eight points before the Waves fought their way back into it, finding themselves with a set point leading 24-23. Amoruso came up big with his fourth kill of the set. Then, tied 24-24, Chalmers served up a cold-blooded ace and a Pepperdine attacking error ended the set in UCSB's favor.
- Middle blockers Donovan Todorov and Brandon Hicks combined for seven kills on nine attempts. Hicks also contributed to three of the Gauchos' six blocks as they held Pepperdine to a nightly low .074 hitting percentage.
2nd Set (25-19 UCSB)
- The Gauchos carried their momentum into game two, scoring in a variety of ways to jump out to an 8-2 lead.
- UCSB's lead never went below three points the rest of the way. A long rally ended with a big block from Amoruso to put the Gauchos up 23-18, starting a 3-1 run to close out the set.
- The UCSB offense was firing on all cylinders. Three Gauchos enjoyed perfect hitting marks as the team finished with a .500 kill percentage.
3rd Set (25-23 Pepperdine)
- Pepperdine came to life in set three, scoring the first three points, but things remained close until late on as UCSB fought through and won several long points. Tied 23-23, the Waves picked up the last two points to escape a sweep.
4th Set (25-15 UCSB)
- UCSB erased any hope of a comeback with its most dominant set of the night, taking a 10-point lead on multiple occasions.
- Wilcox led the way with three kills and three blocks, including a match-sealing solo stuff. UCSB enjoyed a 6-0 advantage in blocks and a .400-to-.097 hitting edge.
NOTABLE
- Santa Barbara has now won 13 of its last 14 matches against ranked opponents dating back to last season.
- The Gauchos remain undefeated with Dayne Chalmers in the lineup. The outside hitter from Costa Mesa, Calif. finished with seven kills, a season-high four blocks, and 10 digs, reaching double-figures for the second time this year.
NEXT UP
Next week, the Gauchos will play three matches in four nights. They resume play at No. 7 USC on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. looking to avenge two season-opening defeats to the Trojans.
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