IRVINE, Calif. – No. 14 UC Irvine couldn't get the offense going in a 3-0 loss to No. 3 UC Santa Barbara at the Bren Events Center Friday.

UCSB won by scores of 25-20, 25-14, 25-18. The Gauchos, winners of four in a row, go to 9-4 on the year and 5-3 in the Big West.

The Anteaters (2-10, 2-6) hit a season-low .137 (33-20-95) for the match, while the Gauchos hit .400 (43-9-85).

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
>Outside hitter Alexandre Nsakanda led UCI with a season-high 11 kills and six digs
>Outside hitter Joel Schneidmiller with 10 kills and two aces
>Scott Stadick topped the squad with three blocks
>Libero Cole Gillis had a team-high seven
>UCSB was led by Roy MacFarland and Ryan Wilcox with 10 kills apiece  
>The Gauchos out-blocked the Anteaters 9.5-5.0. They also held a 35-28 advantage in digs

FIRST SET
>UCSB built a 14-9 lead on a UCI attack error and an ace by Ryan Wilcox
>Block by Scott Stadick and Alexandre Nsakanda was followed by a great dig by Dylan Zhai which resulted in a kill by Doug Dahm, bringing the Anteaters within 15-13
>Following a Gaucho timeout, Joel Schneidmiller had an ace, 15-14
>Kills by Connor Campbell and Nsakanda pulled UCI within 21-19
>UCSB would never relinquish the lead, using an ace by Keenan Sanders for the 25-20 win

SECOND SET
>UCSB would take an 11-7 lead on a kill by Keenan Sanders, a UCI attack error, and a joust won by Roy McFarland
>Four straight by the Gauchos extended the advantage to 18-10
>Three consecutive UCSB kills were followed by a block by Sanders and Wilcox, 23-13
>Another block by UCSB ended the set 25-14
>The Anteaters hit .000 (8-8-30)

THIRD SET
>Four UCI errors helped Santa Barbara to a 6-2 lead
>A block by Stadick and Dylan Zhai narrowed the gap to 6-5
>A 6-1 run by UCSB gave the Gauchos a 17-10 advantage
>The Gauchos would win the set 25-18

NOTES
>It is the sixth match this year that Schneidmiller has multiple aces
>It's only the third time this season UCI has been swept, two coming at the hands of the Gauchos

UP NEXT
The same two teams will tangle in a non-conference match tomorrow (Apr. 3) at 4:00 p.m. at the Bren Events Center. It will be the final home match for seniors Scott Stadick, Joel Schneidmiller, Sean Dennis and AJ Faille.