UC San Diego took the first set but couldn’t sustain its momentum, falling 3-1 to UC Santa Barbara at LionTree Arena. Molly McCluskey led the Tritons with 15 kills, while Marleena Catalan recorded a double-double.

By the Numbers
  • Set scores: UC San Diego 25-21, 21-25, 16-25, 18-25.
  • UC San Diego finished with 47 kills and a .204 hitting percentage.
  • McCluskey had 15 kills; Gia Rivera added 12.
  • Catalan posted 12 assists and 11 digs for her eighth double-double of the season.
Yes, But

The Tritons showed promise early, leading in the first set and building advantages in the second and third, but UCSB rallied each time. UC San Diego made a late push in the fourth, closing to 21-18 before the Gauchos scored the final four points.

What's Next

UC San Diego hosts Big West leader Cal Poly on Saturday at 5 p.m. The match will air on ESPN+.

Bottom Line

Winning the opener wasn’t enough: the Tritons need to turn early leads and late rallies into set-closing points as conference play continues.