California State University at Northridge
11-15,2-7Big West
UC Santa Barbara
9-16,2-7Big West
UC Santa Barbara Knocks Off No 14 CSUN in Four Sets
4/12/2024 10:07:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
Phillips led the Matadors (11-15, 2-7 Big West) with 16 kills, hitting .500 on 28 swings. Hobus added 15 kills (.250), five digs and three blocks but no other CSUN hitter had more than four kills in the loss. Donovan Constable handed out 28 assists and matched Griffin Walters with three aces apiece.
The Matadors had trouble stopping UCSB's Geste Bianchi who connected for 27 kills on 50 attacks to hit .440. As a team, the Gauchos out-hit the Matadors .394 to .304 and had a big night at the service line with 14 aces, to CSUN's six. The Matadors won the battle at the net with 9.5 team blocks to UCSB's 3.5.
- In a tight opening set, the teams played to a 15-15 tie after 30 points. Two straight UCSB points forced a CSUN timeout before the Matadors rallied to tie the score on a co-block from Constable and Jano Tello. The match remained tied at 23-23, when the Gauchos used a Matador service error to take set point. CSUN would save a pair of set points before a pair of Hobus kills sent the Matadors to a 28-26 win.
A thrilling set one WIN!
— CSUN Men's Volleyball (@CSUNMensVB) April 13, 2024
CSUN takes it 28-26.#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/jDv13fF5mw
- The Matadors would hit .556 in the opening set and .364 in set two but struggled from that point on. After UCSB claimed nine of the first 14 points in set two, CSUN was forced to call timeout. The Gaucho lead swelled to eight (14-6) forcing a second a final Matador timeout. Still trailing by six at 23-17, CSUN rallied late behind a 4-1 run to pull within 24-21 but UCSB held on for the 25-21 win.
- Trailing 7-4 early in the third, CSUN surrendered an 8-4 run that opened up a 15-8 UCSB lead. A Hobus kill out of a Matador timeout ended the run, but the Gauchos would outscore CSUN 5-2 over the next seven points to open up a 20-11 lead.
- Down 15-9 in the final set, the Matadors used a 3-0 run, capped by a Walters kill, to pull within 15-12. After a UCSB timeout, CSUN continued to push, using a 4-2 run to close to within one at 17-16 following consecutive aces by Walters. But the host Gauchos would outscore the Matadors 8-3 over the rest of the set to seal the 25-19 win.
HEAD COACH THEO EDWARDS SAID
"Tough loss on the road tonight. We will look to bounce back and get them at home tomorrow night."
UP NEXT
The Matadors cap the regular season on Saturday, hosting the Gauchos inside Premier America Credit Union Arena at 6 p.m.
#GoMatadors
