The UCSB men’s volleyball team started strong but ultimately couldn’t hold off fourth-ranked Long Beach State in a Big West match Friday night at Rob Gym.
The Gauchos lost 3-1 on set scores of 23-25, 25-20, 25-16, 25-23. They fall to 4-10 overall and 1-1 in Big West play. The Beach is now 10-2 and 1-0.
UCSB took the back-and-forth first set, finishing with an ace from junior outside hitter Dayne Chalmers.
The second set was also neck and neck until the last tie at 15, when Long Beach State took command. That command extended in the third set, a 25-16 Beach win.
The Gauchos challenged again in the final set, clawing back from a 17-12 deficit to tie the game at 21. Long Beach State managed to deny UCSB a fifth set with a 25-23 win.
Ryan Wilcox led the Gaucho attack, posting a team-high 14 kills. Nick Amoruso provided a spark off the bench for UCSB, hitting .417 on 12 attacks in the final two sets, for seven kills.
Big West digs leader Max Gordon added eight more to his total, while Jack Walmer had 36 assists.
Sortis Siapanis led Long Beach with 14 kills.
The Gauchos travel to Long Beach on Saturday for the conclusion of the home-and-home two-game series at Walter Pyramid, starting at 7 p.m.
