Friday, March 15
Northridge, CA
6:00 P.M.
California State University at Northridge
9-10,0-2Big West
2
vs
3
UC San Diego
11-10,3-2Big West
1
2
3
4
5
F
UC San Diego
22
18
25
25
15
3
CSUN
25
25
18
23
12
2
Photo by: Steve Fitzgerald
UC San Diego Upsets #16 CSUN in Reverse Sweep
3/15/2024 9:14:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – CSUN senior Kyle Hobus led all hitters with 19 kills but No. 18 UC San Diego came back after dropping the first two sets to knock off the 16th-ranked Matadors in a reverse sweep, 22-25, 18-25, 25-18, 25-23, 15-12 in a Big West match Friday night at Premier America Credit Union Arena.
One night after becoming just the 15th player in CSUN men's volleyball history to reach 1,000 career kills, Hobus hit ,234 on 47 swings to go with three digs, three blocks, and three assists. Freshman Jalen Phillips added 15 kills, hitting .294 on 34 swings along with five digs, and a pair of blocks. Setter Donovan Constable had another solid all-around match with 45 assists, five kills, and four digs while matching his career-high with four aces.
CSUN (9-10, 0-2 Big West) had more kills than the Tritons for the second straight night (58-56) but the Matadors were out-hit .316 to .299. After being out-blocked on Thursday in La Jolla, CSUN had a slight edge on Friday (9.5-8.0). Behind Constable's four aces, the Matadors had five as a team while committing 22 service errors.
HOW IT HAPPENED
HEAD COACH THEO EDWARDS SAID
"Tonight was a great match, and an awesome battle. This week was a big moment for our team, we learned a lot about ourselves. Griffin (Walters) came off the bench and was just electric and brought a spark to our team. After we had a two-set lead, he came in a turned things around and put us in a position to win. As a team, we've been figuring out all year kind of who we are and how to finish games. It was a good conversation in the locker room afterwards and some of our leaders are stepping up and I think we're turning the corner."
The Matadors will travel to Honolulu next weekend to meet the top-ranked Warriors in a two-match set at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
#GoMatadors
One night after becoming just the 15th player in CSUN men's volleyball history to reach 1,000 career kills, Hobus hit ,234 on 47 swings to go with three digs, three blocks, and three assists. Freshman Jalen Phillips added 15 kills, hitting .294 on 34 swings along with five digs, and a pair of blocks. Setter Donovan Constable had another solid all-around match with 45 assists, five kills, and four digs while matching his career-high with four aces.
CSUN (9-10, 0-2 Big West) had more kills than the Tritons for the second straight night (58-56) but the Matadors were out-hit .316 to .299. After being out-blocked on Thursday in La Jolla, CSUN had a slight edge on Friday (9.5-8.0). Behind Constable's four aces, the Matadors had five as a team while committing 22 service errors.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Matadors got off to a hot start for the second straight night, hitting nearly .400 over the first two sets. The two teams played to 13 ties in the opening set, the last at 19-19, when kills from Phillips and Hobus forced a Triton timeout. A UCSD service error kept the CSUN lead at two (24-22) before another Hobus kill sent the Matadors to the 25-22 win.
Set Won ?
— CSUN Men's Volleyball (@CSUNMensVB) March 16, 2024
CSUN takes the opening frame over UCSD, 25-22!#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/uo5kC0cB6c
- After hitting .481 in the opening set, CSUN hit .308 in the second frame to win by seven. Holding a slim 12-11 lead, the Matadors put together a 6-2 run to open up an 18-13 advantage following Constable's fourth ace. The visitors would pull within four on a pair of occasions down the stretch before CSUN sealed the set on kills from Jano Tello and Hobus.
2-0 CSUN!
— CSUN Men's Volleyball (@CSUNMensVB) March 16, 2024
The home team takes set two by a score of 25-18.#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/7N0N820wM8
- CSUN was not able to sustain its offensive momentum into the third set, as the Tritons hit .533 to the Matadors' .125 in a 25-18 UCSD win. With the score knotted at 11-11, the Tritons outscored CSUN 9-4 over the next 13 points to open up a 20-15 lead. The Matadors scored on the next point to get within four but could get no closer.
- Both teams hit well in the fourth set, CSUN connecting at a .364 clip to UCSD's .423. After a Griffin Walters kill pulled the Matadors even at 21-21, the teams traded sideouts until 23-23, when a Triton kill was followed by a UCSD block on set point sending the match to a fifth set.
- CSUN dropped the first two points in the fifth and would never lead. Playing to six ties, the last 10-10, a 3-1 UCSD run forced a Matador timeout at 13-11. A Walters kill trimmed the deficit to one (13-12) but the Tritons would claim the final two points in the 15-12 win.
HEAD COACH THEO EDWARDS SAID
"Tonight was a great match, and an awesome battle. This week was a big moment for our team, we learned a lot about ourselves. Griffin (Walters) came off the bench and was just electric and brought a spark to our team. After we had a two-set lead, he came in a turned things around and put us in a position to win. As a team, we've been figuring out all year kind of who we are and how to finish games. It was a good conversation in the locker room afterwards and some of our leaders are stepping up and I think we're turning the corner."
UP NEXTTough result tonight but head coach Theo Edwards was proud of the effort from his squad#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/SfnYStUTr9
— CSUN Men's Volleyball (@CSUNMensVB) March 16, 2024
The Matadors will travel to Honolulu next weekend to meet the top-ranked Warriors in a two-match set at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
#GoMatadors
Team Stats
UCSD
CSUN
Kills
56
58
Errors
19
20
Attempts
117
127
Hitting %
.316
.299
Points
68.0
72.5
Assists
53
54
Aces
4
5
Blocks
8
9.5
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
19
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
15
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
6
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Players Mentioned
S
/ Men's VolleyballOH
/ Men's VolleyballOPP
/ Men's Volleyball
MB
/ Men's VolleyballOH
/ Men's VolleyballCalHOPE Award Nathan Merren
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