SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — UC San Diego women's volleyball defeated UC Santa Barbara in straight sets, winning 25-22, 26-24, 25-22 at the Thunderdome on Friday evening. The Tritons (6-19, 4-9 Big West) earned the program's first ever victory over the Gauchos (17-8, 9-4 Big West).
 
Ireland McNees led UC San Diego with a notable performance, recording 13 kills on a .522 hitting percentage and adding 12 digs, totaling 15.5 points. Molly McCluskey contributed significantly with 13 kills on a .375 hitting percentage, while also collecting eight digs, amassing 13.5 points. Katie Rapp also tallied double-figure kills, finishing with 11.Maija Nepszy led the Tritons with 25 assists, while Mika Rome added 13. Middles Lucia Barroso and Jasmine Saran collected four blocks apiece.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
After UC Santa Barbara took the early 10-6 advantage in the opening set, the Tritons found momentum with McCluskey's key kills to spark a six-point scoring run. This surge allowed the Tritons to pull ahead, 12-10. Later in the set, McNees and McCluskey again combined for critical points, helping the Tritons stretch their advantage to 20-18. UC Santa Barbara attempted to close the gap, but the Tritons maintained their composure, with McCluskey securing the final point to conclude the set, 25-22.
 
UC San Diego showcased resilience in the second set, overcoming several brief deficits to secure a 26-24 victory over the Gauchos. The set featured a notable performance by Rapp, whose kills, including a crucial one from Nepszy's setup, played a significant role in keeping the Tritons in contention. As the set progressed, McNees delivered decisive strikes, and Saran's block alongside McNees on set point sealed the 26-24 victory. 
 
The teams traded points for most of the third set, with neither team leading by more than two points. With UCSB leading 22-20, the Tritons rattled off five consecutive points, highlighted by a pair of aces from Kayla Uhlick. McNees sealed the set with a kill, assisted by Rome, bringing the Tritons to a 25-22 victory. 
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Ireland McNees recorded her sixth double-double of the season.
• UC San Diego had the advantage in aces (5-3) and hitting percentage (.311 to .269), while UC Santa Barbara had the edge in digs (37-35). Blocks were even (9-9).
• The Tritons are 3-7 in three-set matches this season.
• UC San Diego is now 1-8 in the D-I series, 1-11 in the all-time series and 1-1 this season against UC Santa Barbara
• Starters included Paulina Baillie, Lucia Barroso, Molly McCluskey, Ireland McNees, Maija Nepszy, Katie Rapp and Jasmine Saran. 

 
UP NEXT
The Tritons will travel to Cal Poly on Saturday at 5 p.m. to wrap up the road trip. The match will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live statistics will be available via UCSDTritons.com.
 
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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.