Macall Peed went on a three-point service run in the fifth set and Andi Kreiling and Michelle Ohwobete posted kills down the stretch to give the UC Santa Barbara women’s volleyball team a comeback victory over Pepperdine in an opening match of the San Diego State Invitational played at Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu on Thursday.
The Gauchos won 21-25, 19-25, 25-22, 25-16, 15-13 to improve to 4-0 for new coach Matt Jones’
“The team did a great job of staying level headed even when we weren’t executing cleanly early on,” said Jones. “They trusted in their training and the scouting report and, eventually, the points started to come our way. That’s a very good team we were able to beat after being down on their home floor. I’m very proud of our resilience.”
Peed had a record night, notching her second 30-dig performance of her career while adding 11 assists for the first double-double of her career.
Ohwobete held down the offense from the pin as she hammered 21 kills. She also contributed 12 digs for her first double-double of the season and 17th of her career.
Sophie Reavis had a new career-high in kills with 10. She also helped with the front row defense, totaling three blocks.
Kreiling was a force in the middle with six blocks while Grace Wuischpard put up a career-high four blocks. She also had an impressive night on offense, going 6-0-10 for a .600 hitting percentage.
Grace McIntosh, one of the two setters in the Gauchos’ lineup, finished the night with 27 assists.
Briana McKnight was a dominant force in the back row for the Gauchos as the senior tied her career-high in digs with 15.
Grace Chillingworth led Pepperdine with 22 kills and Birdie Hendrickson added 12.
It was UCSB’s first win over Pepperdine since 2019.
The Gauchos will continue the tournament in San Diego on Friday and Saturday. The face sixth-ranked Oregon on Friday at 4 p.m.