UCSB’s Women’s Volleyball starts the Big West Conference season undefeated

The UC Santa Barbara Women’s Volleyball team (8-4, 4-0 Big West) has remained undefeated in conference play after wins against Utah Valley University (4-12, 2-2 Big West) and Sacramento State University (7-8, 2-2 Big West). The Gauchos swept the Wolverines 3-0 and then beat the Hornets 3-1.

The Gauchos opened October with a sweep of the Utah Valley Wolverines on Thursday, Oct. 1, with the victory marking UCSB’s first win against Utah Valley since 2018.

The first set was tight until 7-7, when the Wolverines took the lead at 14-8. Fighting back, the Gauchos went on a kill streak aided by sophomore outside hitter Gabi Martinez, senior outside hitter Auburn Tomkinson, senior middle blocker Bella Mathis and junior outside hitter Sophia Wendlick, recovering and taking the lead at 19-16. The teams traded points until 23-20, and the Gauchos closed the set with two more kills for a 25-20 win.

The second set began with another 7-7 tie, before the Gauchos pulled ahead 14-10. However, the Wolverines fought back to tie the set at 14-14. Capitalizing on service and attack errors, the Gauchos stayed ahead for the rest of the set and closed it out 25-19 on a Tomkinson kill.

With the match on the line, Utah Valley fought back in the third set, where the Gauchos led until 16-14, when the Wolverines took over at 18-16. Crucial kills by Wendlick gave the Gauchos a one-point lead at 22-21. However, the Wolverines rallied back to tie the set at 24-24 before Martinez delivered the final kill to close the match at 26-24.

On Saturday, Oct. 3, the Gauchos beat the Sacramento State Hornets in four sets. The Gauchos are now 4-0 in the Big West and sit behind their rival and the 2025 conference champions, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. 

The first set was the most contested of the match, with the Gauchos and Hornets going neck and neck. Sacramento State led 10-7, but UCSB tied it at 11-1. The Gauchos frequently trailed by one point but caught up during the next play. After fending off two set points, the Gauchos tied the set at 24-24 and again at 26-26 before a kill by senior outside hitter Emma McDermott and a Hornet attack error ended it at 28-26.

Up 1-0, the Gauchos stumbled into the second set, falling behind 0-7 to start. Unable to gain momentum, they trailed by 15 points at 22-7 and lost the set at 25-10.

Tied 1-1, the Gauchos found their footing in the third set, opening on a 14-0 run and winning 25-10. The set was fueled by the Gauchos’ seven kills, two blocks and three Hornet errors. 

Leading 2-1, UCSB took a 7-5 lead in the fourth set before the Hornets had their final tie of the night at 8-8. Surging forward, the Gauchos then led 15-12 and 20-18, before ending the match at 25-20 with kills from middle blocker Sandrea Thomas and Mathis.

Notably, Martinez hit 15 kills, and Tomkinson also hit double digits with 11. 

Next up, the Gauchos head to California State University, Long Beach on Friday, Oct. 9, and California State University, Fullerton on Saturday, Oct. 10.