While some go to Vegas to party, Gauchos come to play.
Three Gauchos racked-up double digit kills on the night as the UCSB women’s volleyball team made quick work of the University of Nevada- Las Vegas (UNLV), dropping the Running Rebels in straight sets, 25-23, 25-21, 25-17, Thursday night at Cox Pavilion.
The Gauchos (6-1) have now won four consecutive matches, while the Rebels (1-5) continue to slide. UCSB out-hit UNLV as a team on the night, .271 to .202.
Current Big West Player of the Week Rebecca Saraceno paced the Gauchos, converting 14 of her 24 attack attempts, posting a 542 hitting percentage. Leah Sully and Charlene DeHoog followed with ten kills apiece. Dana Vargas had 40 assists and eight digs.
For UNLV, Sara Nehf led the team with a .348 hitting percentage, finding her spot on 11 of her 23 attack attempts. Kela Lau Hee wiped the floor with 12 digs. Kelsey Keeler and Cursty Jackson both managed five kills, but could only muster a combined .100 hitting percentage. Samantha Noland had a match-high seven blocks.
UNLV rallied midway through the first set, scoring four straight points and extending their lead to 14-10. The Gauchos countered, winning five of the next six points, tying the game at 15-15. Sully accounted for three of her seven kills in the set during that stretch.
The teams would trade points until an attack error by UNLV’s Christy Jackson and a Saraceno kill gave the Gauchos a 24-22 lead. Although UNLV’s Leah Maurer closed the gap to one with a kill off the right side, Saraceno followed with a cannon of her own to close out the set, 25-23.
UCSB’s next match is tomorrow night, Friday, against Oregon State at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas. Match time is set for six p.m.
