UC Santa Barbara Beats Cal State Fullerton 3-1
Gabi Martinez posts 20 kills and 13 digs as UC Santa Barbara's women's volleyball team keeps its place third in The Big West.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Volleyball
UC Santa Barbara Women's Volleyball defeated Cal State Fullerton 3-1 at home on Friday night, winning the first, second and fourth sets 25-13, 25-23 and 26-24 while losing the third 25-18. The win came in a rematch of an October bout that Fullerton took 3-2.
Why it matters
The victory moves UC Santa Barbara to a 9-4 Big West record and keeps the Gauchos third in the conference standings. It also gives the team a result against the same opponent that beat it earlier in the season.
Gabi Martinez recorded 20 kills and 13 digs, her sixth double-double of the year, while Emma McDermott added nine kills and Emery Tubbs posted three solo blocks, a career-best total. The extraction does not indicate how these individual totals compare with the players' season averages.
The players
Gabi Martinez
Gabi Martinez is a UC Santa Barbara outside hitter whose 20 kills and 13 digs led the team in the win over Cal State Fullerton.
UC Santa Barbara Women's Volleyball
UC Santa Barbara Women's Volleyball is the NCAA Division I program of the University of California, Santa Barbara, which competes in The Big West Conference.
The details
UC Santa Barbara led the first set from start to finish, with a service ace by Milan Rex pushing the lead to eleven points at 19-8. Cal State Fullerton took the third set, but the Gauchos won the fourth 26-24 after tying the score at 24-24, with a kill by Auburn Tomkinson and a Fullerton error sealing the match.
Timeline
Friday, November 6, 2026: UC Santa Barbara defeats Cal State Fullerton 3-1 at home.
Saturday, November 7, 2026: UC Santa Barbara hosts Long Beach State at 7:00 p.m.
Season Trajectory
The result keeps UC Santa Barbara in the upper tier of a Big West standings race where a 9-4 conference record places the Gauchos third. The win over Fullerton also reverses the outcome of the team's earlier October meeting with the Titans.
The Gauchos' 9-4 Big West record now sets the bar for their remaining conference matches. Fans planning to attend the Saturday home match against Long Beach State can expect the 7:00 p.m. start.
The takeaway
Consistent production from players like Gabi Martinez, who posted her sixth double-double of the season, has kept UC Santa Barbara competitive in a tight conference race. Following the team's home schedule is the most direct way to track how that form carries into the rest of the Big West season.
What happens next
UC Santa Barbara hosts Long Beach State on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at 7:00 p.m.
Further reading
For more on the program, see the Volleyball section for Santa Barbara coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Noozhawk.
