SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos hosted the University of Hawai'i tonight for their final home match of the season. The Gauchos swept the Rainbow Wahine 3-0 to finish 11-2 in The Dome for 2025 and 2-0 against Hawai'i. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
The seniors took the floor first for their final home court start, and the Gauchos got off to an early lead. They made six of a seven-point batch to establish a 13-6 lead. They had a healthy buffer for the rest of the set, eventually clinching it 25-19 off of a tip from Grace Wuischpard. 

In the second, Santa Barbara got a 9-point lead at 14-5, then jumped ahead 11 points to win it 25-12. Gabi Martinez served three aces in a row to give the Gauchos four aces in the second alone. She would go on to total five for the match. 

Hawai'i had a head start in the third, getting up to 5-2, but the Gauchos quickly put it to rest at 6-6. The Rainbow Wahine had more in them this time around, encroaching on the Gaucho lead at 21-19 and tying it at 21-21. 

The Gauchos did not falter, however, and a slam by Layanna Green brought Santa Barbara to set point. Martinez finished it off with her tenth kill of the match, and the set was final at 25-22. 

STAT RECAP
- Martinez led in kills as the only Gaucho to reach double digits in the stat
- The amount of aces the Blue and Gold put up was astronomical, notching 12, a top-ten historic performance by the team. 
- The Gauchos put up an impressive 14 total blocks, raising their already-high season tally
- Wuischpard added five kills to her season total

UP NEXT
The Gauchos hit the road one final time before they head to the 2025 Outrigger Big West Conference Championship in Long Beach. They'll spent Friday, Nov. 6 at UC Irvine and Saturday, Nov. 7 at Cal State Fullerton.