LONG BEACH, Calif.— Following the team's first sweep of the season a day prior, the UC San Diego men's volleyball team was back to its winning ways Friday as it blanked Edward Waters at Walter Pyramid on Long Beach State's campus.
The Tritons won by scores of 25-16, 25-15, and 25-21.
Following Friday night's match UC San Diego's record improved to 5-8.
It was the first-ever meeting between the Tritons and Tigers, who hail from Jacksonville, Fla., and the Southern Intercollegiate Conference (SIAC). The match was part of LBSU's Big West/SIAC Crossover.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Beginning the action at the Walter Pyramid on Friday, the Tritons rattled off the first six points of the match as
Sebastian Lara recorded multiple kills while
Anthony Cherfan and
Leo Wiemelt combined for a block assist. Wiemelt continued his stellar set the rest of the way as he came up with a few more blocks before teaming up with
Gabriel Dyer for the set-deciding block as UC San Diego won 25-16 to get the action started.
Building on the momentum the team earned in the first set, the Tigers scored the first point of the set before UC San Diego rattled off seven in a row thanks in part to a John Schellinger kill and a Lara service ace. After Edward Waters was able to cut the Tritons' lead down to four, UC San Diego was able to regroup and finish the set with an impressive kill from
Leo Pravednikov as the Tritons took control of the match with a 25-15 victory to take the two set lead.
Capping off the sweep in thrilling style, a Lara kill got the momentum going early for the Tritons to take the first point of the final set. Edward Waters didn't go away quietly as they were able to cut their deficit down to 19-15 late in the set before UC San Diego was able to set in and take the match. The match winning point was decided on a service error from the Tigers that gave the Tritons the 25-21 three set sweep for the program's second win in a row.
TRITON TIDBITS
• Setter
Gabriel Dyer returned to the floor after missing the first 13 matches of the season due to injury. He had 24 assists, two blocks, and seven digs.
• The Tritons won all six sets they competed in at the 2024 Big West/SIAC on Thursday and Friday.
•
Sebastian Lara had a solid performance against the Tigers, recording nine kills while also contributing a trio of digs and assists.
•
Josh Schellinger hit .700 with seven kills and no errors in 10 attacks.
•
Sebastian Lara hit .615 (9-1-13).
• The Tritons' .493 attack was its second-best of the season, behind their .525 Thursday against Central State.
• Dating back to Jan. 31 when the Tritons bested USC in Los Angeles, the team has posted a 3-2 overall record.
UP NEXT
The Tritons return home ahead of their first Big West match of the 2024 season as they're set to host the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos on Friday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. inside LionTree Arena.
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About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 84 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.
