No. 6 BYU men's volleyball earns straight-set victory against No. 16 UC Santa Barbara

No. 6 BYU men’s volleyball came into its Feb. 7 matchup against No. 15 UC Santa Barbara at the Smith Fieldhouse determined to end a drought.

The Cougars had lost four consecutive matches. The Gauchos, meanwhile, entered the match with an even away record.

The packed crowd brought anxious energy at the start as both teams put their best foot forward. After UC Santa Barbara scored the first point, BYU responded strongly with two impressive plays to take control.

The tightly contested match saw constant back-and-forth action, but BYU claimed the first set 25-21, followed by a 25-20 win in the second and a 25-22 victory in the third, sealing the straight-set win.

The Cougars will face UC Santa Barbara again on Feb. 8 at the Smith Fieldhouse, aiming to build momentum for the remainder of the season.