SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The Cal State Fullerton women's volleyball team won the first set but UC Santa Barbara responded to take the next three as the Gauchos scored a 3-1 (25-27, 25-18, 25-14, 25-15) victory at The Thunderdome on Friday night in Big West Conference action.
Shimen Fayad led the Titans (6-21, 1-12 BWC) with 13 kills and 11 digs, but it wasn't enough as Fullerton dropped its 12th consecutive match. Rachel Hall guided the Titan offense with 37 assists, while Madisen Babich found her way to 16 digs. In addition, Summer Kerins totaled eight kills, two solo blocks and two block assists.
The Gauchos (17-9, 8-5 BWC) were led by the reigning Big West Freshman Player of the Week Lindsey Ruddins as she finished the match with 27 kills, hitting .411, while adding 15 digs.
Hannah Juley piloted the UCSB offense to a .285 attacking percentage and recorded a double-double of 47 assists and 14 digs. Elizabeth Sheffield added 11 kills while Emilia Petrachi totaled 21 digs.
The Titans' first set win marked the first time since Sep. 9 that CSF was victorious in the first set.
In that first set victory for Fullerton, the Titans trailed 16-11 after back-to-back service aces from Ruddins and still looked to drop the first set a 24-21 after Ruddins' third ace of the match. Three straight errors by the Gauchos evened the game at 24-24, and the Titans clinched the set winner on a kill from Kerins.
Cal State Fullerton returns to action at 7 p.m., Saturday, at Cal Poly.
Notes: First time the Titans have won a first set since Sep. 9. Fullerton is 4-1 when winning the first set in 2016.