California State University Northridge Athletics
California State University at Northridge
12-10,0-6Big West
UC Santa Barbara
13-9,4-3Big West
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Santa Barbara | 25 | 17 | 25 | 28 | 3 |
| CSUN | 19 | 25 | 18 | 26 | 1 |
CSUN's Upset Bid Comes up Short Against No. 8 UCSB
4/4/2026 9:50:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. — No. 8 UC Santa Barbara spoiled 18th-ranked CSUN's upset bid with a 3-1 win in a Big West match on Saturday night at Premier America Credit Union Arena, rallying late to take the decisive fourth set 28-26.
CSUN (12-10, 0-6 Big West) responded after dropping the opening set, using an efficient offensive surge in the second to even the match, but couldn't sustain momentum against the Gauchos' balanced attack. UC Santa Barbara (13-9, 4-3) won by set scores of 25-19, 17-25, 25-18, 28-26.
Redshirt junior Malcolm King led CSUN with a career-high 15 kills, hitting .229 on a career-high 35 swings. King was also a force from the service line, serving a career-high four aces along with two blocks. Freshman Noah Douphner added 12 kills (.083), and Hank Kaufman chipped in 10 kills (.261) and a career-high 10 digs for his first collegiate double-double. Setter Owen Douphner finished with 40 assists and five digs as the Matadors hit .189 as a team.
After a slow start that saw CSUN hit .000 in the first set, the Matadors found rhythm in the second set, hitting .433 with just two errors. King paced the surge, and CSUN controlled the middle portion of the frame to win comfortably, 25-17.
But UC Santa Barbara answered immediately. The Gauchos limited errors in Set 3 and capitalized on CSUN miscues, holding the Matadors to a .065 hitting percentage to regain the lead.
CSUN pushed the fourth set to the brink in a back-and-forth battle that featured 15 ties and multiple late lead changes. A service run, highlighted by three King aces, helped the Matadors build a 16-13 advantage, but UC Santa Barbara responded down the stretch. The Gauchos closed on a 5-2 run, sealing the match on a service ace after CSUN fought off multiple match points.
George Bruening led UC Santa Barbara with 17 kills on .452 hitting, while Cole Schobel led the Gauchos with 36 assists to go with seven digs and six kills .
Despite the loss, CSUN out-dug the Gauchos 37-34 and stayed competitive at the net with 10.5 team blocks.
UP NEXT
CSUN plays its final home match next week as the Matadors close out a two-match series with No. 5 UC Irvine on Saturday, Apr. 11. The two teams meet in Irvine on Thursday, Apr. 9.
#GoMatadors
