NORTHRIDGE, Calif. (April 14, 2023) – The UC Santa Barbara Men's Volleyball team (6-16, 2-7 Big West) was back in action as the Gauchos took on the CSUN Matadors in Northridge to kick off this weekend of matches. After three sets in the Premier America Credit Union Arena, it was the Gauchos who came out with the win as they swept the Matadors on the road (25-20, 25-22, 25-22). 

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Gauchos had a slow start to the match, but that didn't last for long. With the help of Jack Walmer's three-point service run, he gave his team the momentum they needed to overtake the Matadors. Once UC Santa Barbara grabbed the lead, they did not let up. The Gauchos took the first set from the Matadors 25-20, while only allowing CSUN to hit at a .038 clip. 

The second set went the same way as the first. The lead changed five times as the Matadors and Gauchos attempted to jump ahead of the other. However, it was UC Santa Barbara who crept into the lead. With Ryan Wilcox at the service line, the Gauchos went on a five-point run that made the score 18-16 in favor of the visiting team. That was all UC Santa Barbara needed. The Gauchos did not let the Matadors back in as they proceeded to win the second set 25-22.

Like the previous two sets, the third started with these two teams exchanging points. The game was tied up nine times before one team maneuvered ahead. That team was UC Santa Barbara. The Gauchos took the lead at 10-9 and did not give in. Even though CSUN came within two points at various times, the good guys did not allow their opponents to get any closer. UC Santa Barbara won the third and final set 25-22 to win the first match of this two-part series with CSUN.

LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS

• Ryan Wilcox led all Gauchos on the court, putting up 18 kills. Those kills contributed to his .556 hitting percentage as he only had three errors on 25 attempts. Along with that, he added on four digs and an ace.
• Dayne Chalmers made his debut as the libero for the Gauchos. He finished the night with a team-high seven digs.
• Jack Walmer set up the offense all evening as he tallied 33 assists while helping from the service line with a team-high two aces. He also contributed to the team's defensive efforts, putting up four digs along with two blocks.
• Ben Coordt made significant contributions to the Gauchos' efforts this evening. He hit .467 from the pin as he registered seven kills with no errors on 15 swings. He was also a defensive threat for UC Santa Barbara as he tallied five digs and four blocks.
• The middle blockers for the Gauchos had dominant defensive performances in the front row. Sam Meister and Dain Johnson had four and three blocks, respectively, to hold the Matadors to a .126 hitting percentage for the match.   

UP NEXT
The Gauchos will play their final game of the regular season tomorrow, April 15, at Rob Gymnasium scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Prior to the start of the game, the Gauchos will honor their six seniors. A live stream will be available through ESPN+ with live stats also available through ucsbgauchos.com.