California Baptist University
UC Santa Barbara
Power Hitters
4/10/2014 4:45:00 AM | Men's Volleyball
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. --- California Baptist University found itself in the fire as No. 5-ranked UC Santa Barbara used a strong attack to take Wednesday's match in three sets (25-20, 25-14, 25-21). The Gauchos finished the night with a collective .557 hitting percentage, committing just seven errors on the night.
CBU falls to 4-23 on the season, 2-21 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. UCSB improves to 15-8 with a 14-8 conference record.
Johannes Brink led the Lancers with a match-high 12 kills. Kristopher Johnson laid down five kills with no errors to finish the night with a .625 attack clip.
The Lancers put up a fight in the first set, keeping pace with the Gauchos for most of the game and evening the score on six different occasions, and even holding the upper hand at times. Down 6-4, CBU scored three-straight points off a Brink kill, a Caleb Miller ace and a Gaucho attack error to take the lead 7-6.
UCSB jumped out in front 22-17, inching closer and closer to set point, but a solo block from Rocky DeLyon and an ace from Joshua Jones kept the Lancers alive briefly. The Gauchos pushed forward, however, and took the set 25-20.
CBU struggled to find its footing in the second set, falling into a steep 8-1 hole to open the frame. The deficit proved too much for the Lancers to overcome, dropping the second 25-14.
Needing a set victory to keep the match going, CBU started the third with a 3-1 run due to Johnson. The senior middle blocker laid down two kills and added an ace to put the visitors in front by two.
The Gauchos evened the score at 7-7 and kept gaining momentum. UCSB took a 24-19 advantage, but kills from Brink and Miller kept the Lancers in the game a little bit longer. It would be the last time CBU would score, though, as it gave UCSB the third set 25-21.
CBU concludes its season with a matchup at No. 10 UCLA Thursday night with a 7 p.m. start time. The match will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Network.
