IRVINE – UCSB’s women’s volleyball team rebounded from a tough five-set loss at Loyola Marymount on Friday night with a straight set win over UC Irvine on Saturday night.
Kara Sherrard led the Gauchos with 13 kills and 14 digs while Lily Lopez had her third straight match with double digit kills as she had 10 as UCSB won 25-12, 25-23, 25-17. It was UCSB’s 10th win in its last 13 contests.
Santa Barbara remained in first place in the Big West Conference as the Gauchos improve to 4-1 in conference and 11-7 overall. UC Irvine falls to 6-10, 1-4.
Leah Sully led the Gauchos with 20 digs and she added eight kills and two service aces for the Gauchos. She narrowly missed her 14th double double of the season.
Chelsey Lowe had 16 digs for UCSB while setter Hanna Nielson added 36 assists, seven digs and three block assists.
It was UCSB’s first straight set win since a victory over George Washington on Sept. 17.
All-American Stacey Schmidt had eight kills and 10 digs for the Gauchos, who hit .258 on the night and picked up 70 digs. UCSB also had 9.0 team blocks in the three sets and thoroughly dominated UCI at the net and on defense.
Irvine hit just .056 on the evening and did not have a single player reach double digit kills.
UCSB returns to the friendly confines of the Thunderdome on Saturday, Oct. 15 match with UC Riverside at 7:30 p.m. That will be the night UCSB inducts volleyball star Judy Bellomo as a Legend of the ‘Dome.
