SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The UC Santa Barbara Women's Volleyball team commenced conference play on Friday night at home against CSUN, defeating the Matadors 3-1 and opening the Big West competition 1-0.
With the win, Santa Barbara continues its double-digit win streak over the Matadors, now having won the last 16 matchups.
FROM HEAD COACH MICHAEL HENCHY
"After a flat first set, it was nice to bounce with more fire and focus. From there we made little adjustments and stayed engaged one point at a time," Henchy said. "I'm proud of the way we responded from the first set and within sets 2 & 3, the team showed lots of resilience!"
FROM OUTSIDE HITTER GABI MARTINEZ
"I'm very excited and proud of how we came together as a team; this helps us set the tone for the season," Martinez said.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Matadors outplayed the Gauchos in the first set, winning it 25-15. It would be the only set they would win, however, as Santa Barbara came back to take the next three and the match.
The second set ended impressively for the Gauchos, as they dominated it 25-18. While CSUN immediately took the lead and continued in the first set, the Gauchos stayed even during the beginning of the second. Ava Zamora delivered back-to-back aces to tie it at 7-7, after which the Gauchos took the lead. Santa Barbara was the first to 15, reaching it at 15-12. They chugged ahead to a six-point differential at 19-13 before finishing seven points ahead at 25-18. Emma McDermott wrapped the set for the Gauchos with a hammer from the right side.
The third set was also definitively secured by the Gauchos, who claimed it 25-21. The teams stayed tight throughout, and CSUN even pushed an advantage at 15-11. Santa Barbara fought back, however, and kills from Sophia Wendlick and McDermott brought them to a tie at 17-17. It was still tied at 20-20, but Gabi Martinez performed heroically and brought in the next five points for the Gauchos. She put down three kills to make it 23-21, then fired consecutive service aces to make it to 25.
CSUN put up more of a fight in the fourth set, pushing the Gauchos into overtime. The Matadors were seven points ahead at 13-6, but, facing a fifth set, Santa Barbara stepped up. The Gauchos made six of the next seven points to lie just behind the Matadors at 12-14. CSUN jogged ahead, reaching a 19-17 lead, but Santa Barbara came to tie it at 19-19. Five more ties ensued, but a kill by Martinez and a solo block from McDermott gave the Gauchos the final points they needed to win it at 26-24.
STAT RECAP
Martinez led the match in kills with 17, six more than the next-highest tally. She totaled 20 points for five per set. She picked up nine digs to bring her season total to 92. Emma McDermott reached 500 career kills after making nine, which was also good for the second-highest count on the team. McDermott also hit .444 for her second-best hit percentage of the season. Both Sophia Wendlick and Auburn Tomkinson made eight kills to make the Gauchos' total 52.
Cortni Youngblood dug 16 digs to lead the match, continuing her double-digit streak. Ava Zamora made 21 assists for her best Gaucho performance yet. Zamora also administered four service aces, while Santa Barbara totaled 10.
UP NEXT
The Gauchos are back in The Dome on Saturday, Sept. 25 to take on Cal State Bakersfield. They'll face the Roadrunners at 7 p.m.
