The UCSB women’s volleyball team (9-7, 5-1) got back in the win column Saturday night, sweeping Cal State Fullerton (3-3) on the road 25-17, 25-20, 25-23.
Michelle Ohwobete went for a potent 13-2-26 line, not committing a single error until the third set and ending the match with a .423 clip. She had three aces as well.
Deni Wilson led all players with eight blocks and added an efficient line of 8-1-15 for a .467 percentage, which also led all players.
Briana McKnight had an incredibly balanced performance with a career-high four aces, 13 digs, five kills and three blocks.
UCSB outhit CSF .268-.133 and outblocked the host team 14-6. The Gauchos have now posted double-digit blocks in nine matches.
The Titans hung around the first set despite UCSB hitting a match-high .417. Tied at 16-16, the Gauchos unleashed a ridiculous 9-1 run to end the set that saw McKnight camp at the service line for three of her aces.
Cal State Fullerton never took the lead in the second frame but did tie it up eight different times. The Gaucho defense limited the Titans to a .077 hitting percentage, collecting six blocks in the set. The last tie came at 19-19, but once again UCSB finished strong on a 6-1 run in a set that saw Ohwobete post a 6-0-11 line for a .545 clip.
The final set came down to the wire as the Titans led through the early points until the Gauchos took a lead at 14-13 and stretched it out to as many as five. With their back against the wall, the Titans tied it at 21 apiece, and again at 23-23, but back-to-back kills by Ohwobete and Niableu Correal ended the match and secured the sweep.
The Gauchos will return home to host UC Davis and UC Riverside next weekend in the Thunderdome.
Daniel Moebus-Bowles writes about sports for UCSB.
email: sports@newspress.com
