DAVIS, Calif. – The UC Santa Barbara Women's Volleyball team is gearing up for a quick trip up north to take on Davis this Thursday, October 23rd, before returning home to host UC Riverside on Saturday, October 25th.
LAST TIME OUT
The Gauchos are entering the upcoming week riding the momentum of two impressive wins over Cal State Fullerton and UC Irvine, winning six of seven sets across both matches. Santa Barbara dominated at the net against Fullerton, tallying 13 total blocks while extending their winning streak over the Titans to 24 straight matches.
Against UC Irvine, outside hitters Gabi Martinez and Kiersten Schmitt powered the offense, notching 13 and 12 kills respectively to secure the weekend's wins.
The Gauchos continue to hold their place among the Big Wests' elite – ranking number one in assists and sitting in the top five overall in team standings. Layanna Green remains unstoppable at the net, leading the conference with a remarkable .449 hitting percentage, while Eva Travis sits second in both kills per set (4.04) and points per set (4.56).
SCOUTING THE AGGIES
UC Davis enters Thursday's match as the current top team in the Big West, boasting an eight-match win streak and back-to-back clean sweeps over Cal State Bakersfield and CSUN.
The Aggies attack is fueled by senior Jade Light, who racked up 27 kills across their recent two victories, while sophomore Ximena Cordero Barr anchors the defense with 23 digs in those matches.
Historically, the Gauchos hold a 24-14 all-time record against the Aggies, their last match up being a close 3-2 defeat for Santa Barbara in 2024.
EYES ON RIVERSIDE
The Highlanders are coming off a tough loss to CSUN, but bounced back with a swift 3-2 victory over Cal State Bakersfield. Offensively, Riverside leans on Sophia Ewalefo, who has tallied 237 kills on the season, including 18 in their latest outing. On the defense, Jessica Dean continues to shine, recording 311 digs this year and 25 in their last match.
Santa Barbara owns a 32-6 advantage in the all-time series, though the Highlanders claimed the most recent matchup in 2024 with a 3-1 victory – a result the Gauchos will be looking to overturn this weekend at home.
TUNE IN LIVE
First serve against UC Davis happens at 6 p.m. on Thursday, followed by UC Riverside at 7 p.m. Saturday. Fans can catch all the action live on ESPN+ or follow along with live stats available through UCSB Athletics.
