The UCSB men’s volleyball team wasted no time against Pepperdine, winning in straight sets, 25-23, 25-13, 25-17, to snap a 10-match losing streak against the Waves.
The Gauchos (5-3, 3-2 MPSF) played error-free volleyball for the greater part of the match on Friday at Rob Gym, committing only 20 unforced errors.
The biggest difference was the offensive efficiency of the Gauchos. Both teams had a similar amount of hitting attempts: Pepperdine with 71 and UCSB with 70. The Waves had 29 kills and 16 errors for a .178 average. UCSB, meanwhile, pounded 48 kills with only eight errors for a sparkling .563 average.
The Gauchos were especially lethal in the second set, hitting a blistering .842.
Leading the charge was senior outside hitter Jeff Menzel with 15 kills, three blocks and six digs. Cullen Irons and Scott Slaughter both contributed with 11 and 12 kills, respectively.
The Gauchos will take to the road, playing two matches at Hawaii on Feb. 3-4. They return home on Feb. 11 to play UCLA.
