The UCSB women’ s volleyball team earned its 15th conference win Saturday night sweeping UC Riverside on senior night.
This marks the most Big West wins for the Gauchos since 2004 with two more still to be played.
UCSB never trailed in Saturday’s match
Michelle Ohwobete led all players with 16 kills and a career-high .517 hitting percentage
Briana McKnight added nine kills of her own swinging a .438 clip
UCSB outhit UC Riverside .412 to -.027 and posted 45 total kills
Macall Peed led all players with 12 digs, and both Mehana Ma’a and Grace McIntosh tied for the lead with 16 assists.
UCSB won the first set 25-14.
The Gauchos led the whole way in the opening set jumping out to a 10-3 lead.
UCR mounted a 5-0 run of its own to cut the Gaucho lead but UCSB responded by closing out the set on a 14-6 run.
Ohwobete posted five kills in the set.
Then UCSB won the second set 25-13.
The second frame was more of the same with UCSB hitting a match-high .550 line to UCR’s match-low -.120.
UCSB converted on 10-of-13 (76%) of its sideout opportunities on its way to a 2-0 lead in the match.
Deni Wilson sent down the set-clinching block.
Then UCSB won the third set 25-15.
The third and final set was the only frame that the Gauchos didn’t lead from the start, seeing two early ties with the Highlanders.
UCSB notched 16 kills on a .375 mark compared to the Highlanders who had just five kills.
The final week of the regular season has arrived, and UCSB will hit the road to take on CSUN Tuesday night before flying out to Hawaii for a Saturday night matchup.
Daniel Moebus-Bowles works in communications/media relations at UCSB.
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