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SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team dropped a five-set decision to No. 9 UC Santa Barbara, Friday at Rob Gym. The Gauchos took both matches in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation series following the 20-25, 25-23, 25-14, 21-25, 15-13 victory.
 
After taking the first set, the Rainbow Warriors (5-4, 3-3 MPSF) lost Sets 2 and 3 before winning the fourth and sending the match to a deciding fifth set. Down 14-11 in Set 5, UH erased two match points and had a golden opportunity to tie the score at 14 but setter Joby Ramos' dump attempt was stuffed by Jonah Seif.
 
UH's middle blockers Taylor Averill and Davis Holt stepped up after both had off nights on Thursday. Averill finished with 14 kills, on .500 hitting, eight digs, and eight total blocks. Holt had nine kills on .471 hitting, seven blocks, and two aces.
 
Junior opposite Brook Sedore led the way with 15 kills and three blocks while sophomore outside hitter Sinisa Zarkovic added 10 kills, five digs, and four blocks.
 
Evan Licht led the Gauchos (5-2, 4-2) with a match-high 22 kills to lead four players in double figures. As a team, UCSB out-hit UH, .299 to .198.
 
UH got off to a good start to the match, leading wire-to-wire in Set 1. After a Jake Staahl kill pulled the Gauchos to within one at 20-19, the Warriors reeled off three straight – all three UCSB miscues – to take a commanding 23-19 lead.
 
The Gauchos turned the tables on UH in Set 2, leading for much of the frame, including a 13-6 advantage before the Warriors narrowed the deficit to one at 18-17 following a Sedore ace. UCSB strung together three straight to extend its lead back to four but the 'Bows rallied back and erased two set points to pull within 24-23. Licht closed out the set to even the match.
 
UCSB's momentum carried over to Set 3 as the Gauchos jumped out to an 8-2 lead. The lead would extend to as much as 12 at 16-4 and the Warriors never threatened to the rest of the set.
 
UH rallied in Set 4, with an 11-7 advantage and maintained the lead until the Gauchos tied it at 19 with a 6-2 run. The teams sided-out until the 'Bows won a long rally to take a 23-21 lead. An Averill kill gave Hawai'i set point and Olsen ended it with a thunderous kill.
 
In Set 5, the Gauchos scored three straight after consecutive hitting errors by Averill to take a 7-4 lead. UCSB extended it to 9-5 after consecutive kills by Licht and Austin Kingi. The teams traded side-outs until Sedore pounded three straight kills to pull UH to within one at 11-10. Moments later, his line shot clipped the antenna which would have tied the score at 12.
 
The Rainbow Warriors will next play a two-match road series at Cal State Northridge, Friday, Feb. 7 and Saturday, Feb. 8 at the Matadome.