The UC Santa Barbara women’s volleyball team got a taste of what it’s like to play upper echelon teams on Friday.
The Gauchos took on sixth-ranked Oregon at the San Diego State Invitational and got swept, 25-21, 25-13, 25-17, for their first loss of the season.
“We knew today would be tough and a great test for us,” said coach Matt Jones. “We came out executing fairly well on our scouting report and played right with them. After that, they obviously found another gear that we couldn’t match.
“That’s one of the most talented teams in the country; they are extremely well trained and very disciplined. There was a lot for us to learn from them. Now, we’re excited to see the team bounce back tomorrow.”
Michelle Ohwobete led the Gaucho offense with 11 kills and only three errors for a .320 hitting percentage.
Libero Macall Peed picked up 11 digs, which ended up being 38 percent of the team’s digs for the day.
The combo of Sophie Reavis and Andi Kreiling rounded out the front row defense as they tallied three blocks each.
The Gauchos (4-1) complete the tournament against host San Diego State on Saturday.