Santa Barbara is Vindicated, Downs CSUN

The final match between the Cal State Northridge and UC Santa Barbara men’s volleyball teams had become a point of contention for Gaucho Coach Ken Preston the past two seasons.

Before both meetings, the Gauchos were ranked among the top 10 while CSUN was headed toward a losing season. Yet, the Gauchos lost both matches.

Preston and his team were vindicated Wednesday night when Santa Barbara, ranked fifth in the nation, defeated the ninth-ranked Matadors, 15-10, 15-5, 15-10, in a Western Intercollegiate Volleyball Assn. match at CSUN.

Although the Matadors lacked polish, CSUN stayed close in the first game rallying to 9-11. The strong net play of Santa Barbara’s John Kosty closed out the first game. Kosty hada match-high 15 kills, helping the Gauchos to build large leads in the final two games.