California State University Northridge Athletics
California State University at Northridge
9-4,0-0Big West
UC Merced
3-5,0-1MPSF
No. 17 CSUN Improves to 5-1 at Home With 3-0 Win Over UC Merced
2/20/2026 7:42:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. — Jalen Phillips and Jordan Lucas combined for 14 kills and 17th-ranked CSUN hit a blistering .459 as the Matadors swept UC Merced 25-17, 25-18, 25-15 in a non-conference match Friday night at Premier America Credit Union Arena.
CSUN (9-4) controlled the match from the service line and at the net, finishing with 41 kills against just seven errors in 74 total attacks to hit .459. The Matadors added 5.5 total team blocks and seven service aces to improve to 7-0 all-time against the Bobcats.
Phillips led the Matadors with eight kills (.300), one ace, and one block for a team-high 9.5 points. Joao Avila and Grayson Albers each hit .667 with seven kills for CSUN. Lucas added six kills on .500 hitting and chipped in defensively with seven digs. Setter Owen Douphner directed the offense with 34 assists, and libero Chris Karnezis scooped up a match-high nine digs.
CSUN seized control late in the opening set, using a 5-0 run to turn a 20-17 edge into a 25-17 win. The Matadors hit .391 in the first set and never trailed after taking the lead for good midway through the frame.
The second set followed a similar script. After UC Merced (3-5) led by two at 9-7 and 12-10, CSUN used a 5-1 run to retake the lead, 15-13. From that point on, the Matadors surged behind a 10-5 run to close out the 25-18 decision. The Matadors recorded 16 kills with just three errors in the set.
CSUN dominated the third set, hitting .667 with 13 kills and only one error. Back-to-back service aces by Albers helped stretch the lead to 12-7, and the Matadors pulled away from there to complete the sweep.
Mason Stokes led UC Merced with eight kills, while Kaleb Cole added seven. The Bobcats hit .184 as a team.
HEAD COACH THEO EDWARDS SAID
"UC Merced got out of the gate playing some really good ball and put some pressure on us. We found a way to put some pressure on them midway through the first set and steal a run or two and seal out that first one. As the match went on, I felt like we found some momentum and were able to turn it our way.
"I thought Owen did a great job, he essentially set a .607 clip and did some fantastic things. Overall, just some great hitting numbers and production at all positions across the board."
UP NEXT
CSUN concludes its three-match homestand next Friday (Feb. 27) as the Matadors host Cal Lutheran at 6 p.m.
#GoMatadors
