SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The UC Santa Barbara Women's Volleyball (13-14) returned to The Thunderdome for a crucial match for determining The Big West standings as the Gauchos took on the Anteaters of UC Irvine. It was a gritty battle as everyone would have expected between these two teams, but in the end, it was the Gauchos who came out on top with scores of 25-19, 22-25, 25-19, 19-25 and 15-8.
 
FROM HEAD COACH MATT JONES
"I think this was a weird match. We won the match obviously, and it just felt like we were better tonight overall, but the second and fourth sets, we couldn't string points together. Even though it went five, I felt pretty good about the overall play. I just wish we could have been a little bit more consistent. I think we could have gotten out of here in three or four. We ran the middle well and at the end of the day, it was a five-set match against a tough team. I think this team is getting mentally tougher and improving throughout the year and hopefully we can keep it rolling."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Gauchos took an early lead in the first set thanks to the Anteaters' errors. Even though UC Irvine tied up the set early on, it didn't last for long. The Gauchos then pulled ahead with a series of successful plays, including three consecutive points led by Emma McDermott and Grace Wuischpard, bringing the score to 9-5. From there, UC Santa Barbara kept their distance as they cruised to a first-set victory with a score of 25-19.
 
The second set began with the home team taking a slight lead with kills from Sophie Reavis and Eva Travis. However, the Anteaters responded quickly with kills of their own, keeping the score tight. As the set progressed, both teams struggled with consistency, evident from multiple attack errors and service mistakes on both sides. The Anteaters eventually pulled ahead near the end of the set, which secured a 25-22 victory for the visitors.
 
From there, the Gauchos secured a 7-0 run, highlighted by a service ace from Reavis and multiple attack errors by UC Irvine. The Gauchos maintained their lead, reaching an eight-point advantage as Travis and McDermott contributed to the offense. UC Irvine attempted to close the gap, but their efforts didn't get very far as the Gauchos sealed the set at 25-19.
 
The Gauchos came out swinging yet again, securing a 4-1 lead with kills by McDermott and Andi Kreiling. UC Irvine responded with a series of points to level the score at 7-7. Irvine then gained momentum with a key run, pushing the score in Irvine's favor. Despite a comeback effort by the Gauchos, which included a rally to tie the score at 24-24, Irvine clinched the set with a score 26-24.
 
With their spot in The Big West standings on the line, these two teams took this match to a fifth set. The Gauchos then gained momentum, with Layanna Green and Reavis contributing to a series of successful plays that pushed their lead to 6-2. Despite a brief rally from Irvine, the Gauchos maintained the advantage, with Travis and Reavis continuing to make significant impacts. The set concluded with a decisive kill by Travis, securing the 15-8 win for the Gauchos.
 
LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS

• Eva Travis contributed her ninth-straight match with double-digit kills as she notched a match-high 19 kills to go along with 18 digs.
• Cortni Youngblood dominated in the back row. She secured a new career-high in digs, putting up 26 on the night.
• Sophie Reavis had one of her best all-around performances this season. She registered a double-double with 15 kills to go along with 16 digs. To top it all off, she secured four aces and two blocks.
• Emma McDermott made an impact in this match. She finished the night with 13 kills while hitting at a .345 clip.
• Layanna Green and Andi Kreiling helped the team out in the middle. Green finished the night with 12 kills and only one error on 21 attempts, resulting in a .524 hitting percentage. Kreiling, on the other hand, was crucial on defense and she led all players on the court in blocks with six.

UP NEXT
The Gauchos will be back in The Thunderdome for their final home match of the season as they take on the Cal State Fullerton Titans. First serve will be at 7 p.m. with a ceremony to honor UC Santa Barbara's four seniors in Angie Dentoni, Julia Shepherd, Grace McIntosh and Andi Kreiling. For those who can't make it to The Thunderdome, they can watch on ESPN+.