LONG BEACH, Calif. – The No. 8 UC Santa Barbara men's volleyball team (13–9) is nearing the end of its regular season, with just three matches remaining before the Big West Championships.
This week, the Gauchos will take on No. 3 Long Beach State in a highly anticipated doubleheader. Both matchups are expected to display a high level of competition as The Gauchos look to keep up their momentum heading into the postseason.
COMING OFF LAST WEEK
UCSB is rolling on a two-match win streak after last week's dominant performances over CSUN. The Gauchos swept the Matadors 3–0 in the Thunderdome with the help of George Bruening's 12 kills and two blocks, Guy Riggs followed close behind at eight kills and one block.
Two days later, the teams met again in Northridge, where the Gauchos doubled down with a 3–1 win. Bruening stepped up even more in the second match, leading the way with an impressive 17 kills and three blocks.
LOOKING AT LONG BEACH
No. 3 Long Beach State enters the week with an impressive 18–4 record, riding a four-match win streak. Coming off last week, the Sharks dominated UC San Diego with back-to-back 3–1 wins.
Skyler Varga led the way with 17 kills and five blocks, followed by Daniil Hershtynovich, who added 12 kills and three blocks. The duo will look to lead the Sharks in what should be a heated series against Santa Barbara this week.
It will be especially interesting to watch Varga go head-to-head with George Bruening, as the two have put up similar numbers this season. Bruening ranks third in the Big West with 304 total kills, averaging 3.8 kills per set, while Varga sits seventh with 234 total kills and a 3.16 kills-per-set average.
FOLLOW ALONG
First serve against Long Beach is set for 7 p.m. on Friday at the Walter Pyramid, followed by the Gauchos hosting on their home court in the Thunderdome at 7 p.m. on Saturday. While Friday's match will not be streamed, fans unable to attend Saturday's matchup in person can follow live stats on ucsbgauchos.com or watch the match live on ESPN+.
Senior Day will be held before Saturday's match to honor four graduating Gauchos.
