Rebecca Saraceno notched a double-double for the second consecutive match – and her seventh this season – as the UCSB women’s volleyball team rolled to a 25-14, 25-18, 25-14 victory over UC Riverside on Friday night at the Thunderdome. It was the Gauchos’ fifth straight win, their longest winning streak since Nov. 10-24, 2006.
UCSB is now 10-2 (1-0 in the Big West) and off to its best start since 2004 when it also began that year 10-2. The last team to start better was the 2002 squad, which opened the year with 23 straight victories.
Saraceno had 12 kills and 11 digs, leading UCSB to the win, the second straight year UCSB has opened conference play with a victory. The Gauchos have now won all 23 matches it has played against UC Riverside.
Leah Sully led the Gauchos with 14 digs while freshman Olivia Ruff added 10. Setter Dana Vargas had 28 assists in the quick, one-hour, 20-minute match. Vargas also had five kills.
Middle blockers Kasey Kipp and Lily Lopez each put down six kills as the Gauchos swung at a .305 clip.
UCSB concludes its homestand on Saturday night at 7 p.m. with a match vs. No. 21 UC Irvine, a 3-0 winner over Cal Poly on Friday.
