It was a terrific start for first-year coach Michael Henchy’s UC Santa Barbara women’s volleyball team in its home opener Thursday night against Iowa State in the three-team Gaucho Invitational.
The Gauchos came out energized and received solid play from several players en route to winning the first set against a team that’s receiving votes in the national poll.
But there were some hiccups and an injury that knocked UCSB off stride and Iowa State capitalized to take a 18-25, 26-24, 25-20, 25-21 decision at the Thunderdome, handing the Gauchos their first loss in the Henchy Era.
Both teams are now 3-1.
UCSB hit a blistering .533 in the first set, with high-flying Gabi Martinez blasting six kills, Sophie Wendlick putting away five and middle Sandrea Thomas making plays at the net and in the back row.
“We were sharp out of the gates, we played aggressive,” said Henchy.
Iowa State, the second Big 12 school that UCSB has played in the early season, stepped up its play in the second set and opened up a 7-3 advantage. But the Gauchos battled back and tied the score at 10. The teams went back and forth before the Cyclones’ California girl, Nayeli Ti’a of Livermore, got hot and sparked her team on a 4-0 run for a 22-18 advantage. They reached set point (24-21) before UCSB came roaring back.
Emma McDermott put down a nice back set from setter Ayva Ostovar to ignite a three-point rally. Wendlick scored on block and then converted after dig by Thomas to knot the score at 24.
The Gauchos had their chances to take the lead but couldn’t finish the rallies. Setter Ava Martin sided out for Iowa State for the 25th point. On the next rally, UCSB botched a set and Cyclone middle Daaliyah Kemp put the ball away for the 26-24 win.
In the third set, the Gauchos fought back from a 13-7 deficit and pulled to within one (15-14). But on the 14th point, Thomas went down with an ankle injury and had to be assisted off the court.
UCSB kept the deficit within two before Ti’a went off with five kills from the left side and a block to give the Cyclones a 24-19 advantage. Kemp ended the set with a stuff block.
“We talked about after the match that when we find ourselves in a lull, it’s been hard for us — even last weekend (when they went 3-0) — to climb back into our standard of play, our level of play,” said Henchy. “We have to figure out what that gap is and how to fill that gap so we don’t have drops in focus and energy that leads to sloppier play.
“We fed into ourselves with some of the errors. It started with the serve-receive, then we weren’t making a better second touch, so it’s kinda that cascading effect.”
On the tight second set: “I was happy how we finished that set for sure, “ Henchy said. “That set was lost in the first 10 points not the last 10. I wish we could have sustained more of that last-of-set energy.”
He said the Thomas injury took an emotional toll on the team in the third.
“That’s a human thing that’s pretty normal when you see one of your teammates go down like that. Fortunately, her ankle was feeling better after the game. We’ll see how it feels over the next 48 hours.
“She has been such bright spot for us,” Henchy noted about Thomas. “She’s been a great attacking middle. She does a lot of great things attacking one on one blocking in the middle.”
UCSB took a 16-15 lead in the fourth set on a kill from back-up middle Emery Tubbs. Then a Gaucho service error kicked off a four-point Iowa State run. The Cyclones kept the home team at bay the rest of the way.
Ti’a and Nayeli Gonzalez paced the Iowa State attack with 17 kills apiece and Lilly Wachholz recorded 12 on a .526 hitting average. Ti’a posted a .371 attack average and the Cyclones hit .320 as a team. Rachel Van Gorp led the defense with 13 digs.
The Gauchos hit .281, with Martinez and Wendlick leading the way with 14 kills each. Auburn Tomkinson and McDermott both had nine kills, while Bella Mathis was the block leader with seven and Cortni Youngblood the dig leader with 12. Ostovar dished out 27 assists and Milan Rex had 19.
Henchy said playing teams like Iowa State can only make his squad better.
“If we can play to our standard, it looks like it did in the first set and even the back end of the second set,” he said. “For us, it’s just finding that gear for longer and figure out what it takes.
“It’s early in the season and we’re lucky to have these tests now. I told them this match isn’t going to hurt us in November and December. That’s a good team, they’re going to be in the (NCAA) tournament, in all likelihood. It’s good to get these tests. You wish you can come out ahead but, again, I kind measure it against our standard of play.
“We had a lot of balls where we kinda hesitated and a ball fell. Those are the balls you need to win to beat good opponents.”
The Gauchos return to action Saturday against Utah State at 6 p.m. at the Thunderdome. Iowa State and Utah State play each other on Friday at 6 p.m.
