SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The UC Santa Barbara Men's Volleyball team (2-0) took a 3-1 win over Menlo College on the second day of the ASICS Invitational. After falling in the first set 25-22, the Gauchos found their rhythm, finishing off the final three sets 25-23, 25-12 and 25-13. Three Gauchos achieved double-digit kills with Riggs Guy earning his first career double-double in only his second match with the Blue and Gold.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Menlo took the early lead and would hold it through the entire first set. Cole Schobel and George Bruening put in work early to get the Gauchos on the board with the first two kills of the night for Santa Barbara. As the Gauchos trailed 7-4, Riggs Guy put up his first kill to keep the Gauchos within reach. The aces started flowing with Andreas Schuetz and Guy putting the Gauchos within one point. Of the next ten points, four would be kills by Geste Bianchi as well as back-to-back kills by Bruening bringing the score to 14-16. The Oaks would go on a 4-1 scoring run, and despite hard swings from the Gauchos, the momentum on Menlo's side would carry them to a 25-22 win in the first set.

The Gauchos looked to take control of the match heading into the second set, but they would have to battle for the lead as they started behind the Oaks. Santa Barbara fought to make up points lost to service errors as new Gauchos, Guy and Schobel, along with Bianchi led the Blue and Gold to tie up the match 10-10. Both teams swung for the lead but never got further than two points ahead of the other. Two kills from Ben Pearson would pull the Gauchos ahead 15-14 and force the Oaks to call a timeout. Menlo stuck with the Gauchos, just trailing by one at set point until Owen Birg put away the kill for the 25-23 second set win.

The third set was all Blue and Gold. Santa Barbara started clicking early with another ace and two kills from Guy. Two block assists from Birg would put the Gauchos at 8-2. From there, the kills started rolling for a 6-2 run led by Schuetz. As Menlo fought to get on the board, Santa Barbara pulled further away into a double-digit lead as Guy put together the set point with another kill. He would put away the final kill to give the Gauchos the third set 25-12.

The Gauchos lit up all over the court in the fourth set as they took a similar 9-2 lead to the third set. The Oaks kept up earlier in this set than the third, but they still couldn't manage to close the gap. Both teams sent kills back and forth for 13 consecutive points as the score came to 17-10. The Gauchos would leave the Oaks in the dust on a 7-2 run which included an ace by Jack Walmer. Pearson would have the final kill of the night for the Gauchos to give Santa Barbara set point and eventually a 25-13 win for the fourth set. 

BY THE NUMBERS

• Santa Barbara had an incredibly efficient night hitting a .459 clip as a team. 
• The newest Gauchos created great looks for the Blue and Gold. Cole Schobel made his Gaucho debut at setter putting up 48 assists, a new career high over 45 assists last year as a setter for Loyola Chicago.
• Riggs Guy also made his first start for the Gauchos achieving his first career double-double with 13 kills and 10 digs.
• Geste Bianchi and Ben Pearson were the other top hitters in double-digits with 23 and 11 kills, respectively.
• Defensive work by the Gauchos was led by Owen Birg who registered 4 block assists. He had the most blocks of any Gaucho for the second match in a row. 

UP NEXT
The Gauchos face Tusculum tomorrow evening for the final match of the ASICS Invitational at 7 p.m. in Rob Gym. For those unable to make it in person, the match will be streamed on ESPN+ with live stats available on ucsbgauchos.com.