Behind Phoebe Grunt’s career night, the UCSB women’s volleyball team (5-12, 1-5) jumped back into the win column with a 3-1 victory over UC Riverside (6-13, 1-5) in the Thunderdome on Friday.
Grunt set a career high with 13 kills, and has now reached double figures in kills for the second consecutive match. Matching her production with efficiency, Grunt led both teams with a .500 hitting percentage.
The middle blocker also showed authority at the net with a match high five block assists, as the Gauchos held the Highlanders to a meager .065 kill percentage and forced them into 31 attacking errors.
Behind Grunt on the offensive side of the floor were Ali Barbeau, Britton Taylor, and Jaylen Villanueva who swung for eight kills each. Villanueva also shattered her previous personal best of 19 digs with 23 against UCR, while Emilia Petrachi added 20 of her own.
Hanna Nielson and Annie Hasselmann split their setting duties right down the middle with both recording 18 assists.
The Gauchos had a sluggish start to the match – losing the first game 25-15 – but came back in the second game that they finished off with a 6-0 run.
UCSB initially had the upper hand in opening the set 4-1, but the Highlanders were able to respond with seven straight points. From there, the teams remained close until Riverside held a narrow lead at 20-19 after a service ace. The point prompted UCSB coach Nicole Lantagne Welch to use a timeout, which put the team on track for their set-clinching run.
Taylor bookended the stretch with kills and added one in between for good measure, while Grunt threw down a kill herself.
Returning from the break, the Gauchos picked up right where they left off in grabbing an early 51 lead in the third game. Early on, UCSB’s offense frustrated UCR as they were forced into three attacking errors. A timeout, though, refocused the Highlanders, as they came back within one at 6-5.
And though their lead bent, the Gauchos never trailed in the game, as that one-point differential was the closest UCR came to tying the score. In maintaining its lead, UCSB finished the Highlanders with another strong finish – this time with a 4-0 run – to seal the 25-19 victory.
Fittingly, Grunt registered the first and final kills of the stretch, while Taylor impressed at the service line with back-to-back aces.
Eager to officially pick up the win, the Gauchos made quick work of UCR early on in opening the fourth game on top 17-7. While the Highlanders were able to cut into the lead at 19-16, it was too little too late, as UCSB closed out the match with a 6-2 stretch. Led by their defense, the Gauchos notched four of their final six points in forcing Riverside into four attacking errors with one coming off a block from Barbeau and Elizabeth Sheffield.
The Gauchos will be back in the Thunderdome tomorrow night when they will host Cal State Fullerton at 7 p.m.
