PROVO, Utah — Jake Rosener contributed 15 kills and a .455 total hitting percentage, but could not provide enough punch against No. 4 BYU, as the No. 10 UCSB men’s volleyball team fell, 3-1, to the Cougars in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) play Friday night at Smith Fieldhouse.
The Gauchos have now lost their last four matches and remain in ninth place in the MPSF, one spot out of the eight-seed and an automatic bid into the postseason conference tournament. With the win, BYU improves to 15-7 overall, 11-6 in MPSF while UCSB falls to 10-12, 7-9.
Dylan Davis hit .636 for UCSB, connecting on seven of 11 attempts with no errors. His four block assists were tied for best on the squad. Jeff Menzel managed 13 kills and two aces, but also contributed nine service errors. Blaine Nielsen and Scott Slaughter were the other two Gauchos to finish with double digit kill totals with 12 and 11, respectively.
BYU’s Robb Stowell cannoned a match-high 22 kills while also leading his team in digs with eight. Andrew Stewart followed with 14 kills of his own, adding seven digs and four blocks. Reed Chilton dished out 46 assists on the night. BYU out-hit UCSB .319 to .164.
UCSB will have a chance to rebound against the Cougars tomorrow night, March 27, at Smith Fieldhouse. Match time is set for 6 p.m. PST. BYU has now won nine of the teams’ last eleven contests.
Tickets for all matches this season are available by calling 805.893. UCSB, visiting the Ticket Office located inside the Intercollegiate Athletics Building on campus, or buy online and print at home. The Intercollegiate Athletics Ticket Office now has two parking spaces adjacent to the building and is open on Saturdays, making it easier than ever for fans to purchase tickets. The ICA Ticket Office will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. The two parking spots, designated specifically for the Ticket Office, are already available during weekday hours, which are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
